MIRI – Sarawak PKR is studying the legal and constitutional implications of the decision to allow Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to continue administering the state after the state assembly’s term ends on June 6.
State PKR information chief Abun Sui today said his party will need to carefully study the unprecedented development.
“The Sarawak Chief Minister's Office yesterday said the Agong has advised the ruling GPS to continue functioning as usual during the emergency period despite the constitutional, automatic dissolution of the state assembly after June 6.
“There are many specific aspects of this announcement that must be studied thoroughly. Sarawak PKR leaders would like to convene a meeting on this.
“If we cannot meet in person due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, we will hold an online meeting. We would also like to discuss with our other Sarawak Pakatan Harapan partners, DAP and Amanah, to find a common approach to face this latest development.”
The Chief Minister’s Office, in a statement yesterday, said the king has advised GPS to administer the state as usual under the emergency ordinance even beyond June 6.
“The chief minister has left the decision on the (state assembly’s) dissolution to the Agong.”
Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg had a virtual audience with the Agong to discuss matters pertaining to the state legislature’s term. Johari, as chairman of the ruling GPS, spoke to the king along with Sarawak Governor Tun Taib Mahmud, state ministers and leaders of GPS components.
The state assembly will be automatically dissolved on June 7, as per the state constitution.
Under normal circumstances, GPS would have to dissolve it to get a fresh mandate from voters. However, the nationwide emergency imposed to curb Covid-19 is slated to end only on August 1.
The statement from the Chief Minister’s Office did not say if the king mentioned a specific date for the 12th Sarawak election.
Abun, who is a lawyer based here, said as far as the state constitution is concerned, the state assembly, upon the expiry of its term on June 6, will see an automatic dissolution the following day.
“The Election Commission will then have 60 days to stage the 12th state polls to let Sarawakians decide on the new state government.
“However, with the emergency in place, the Agong will decide on the next move.
“So, the question of interest now is, what is the next move by GPS to advise the Agong to set a specific time frame for the next state election?
“We in Sarawak PKR feel that GPS must not use the national emergency to cling on to power indefinitely.
“However, we in Sarawak PKR also acknowledge that if Covid-19 is still serious, it is not possible to have an election the normal way. We must look into all these matters very carefully.”
GPS controls 68 of Sarawak’s 82 state constituencies. – The Vibes, May 26, 2021
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