MIRI – There are clear signs that the ruling state government of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is adamant on calling the 12th Sarawak elections next month, but it is giving the “trigger” to the Agong, said a veteran state assemblyman.
Seventh-term Tg Batu assemblyman Chiew Ching Sing told The Vibes today that GPS has already set a late-November time frame for the polling.
The longest-serving Sarawak DAP rep and the party’s former deputy state chairman said it looks clear that GPS is going to bulldoze its way through the state polls.
“GPS and Chief Minister (Datuk) Abang Johari Openg look to be very firm in having the 12th state elections late next month despite the serious Covid-19 Delta variant crisis we are going through now.
“GPS wants to rush through the state polls before the electoral roll with new voters can be used early next year as the new roll will include more than a million new voters, mostly young ones from the Undi18 category and those who can vote for the first time under the automatic voter registration exercise.
“Johari and GPS want the state polls before the end of November, but they are pushing it to the Agong to pull the trigger. They have petitioned the Agong to lift the localised state emergency now.
“That will make it look as if the Agong is the one who decided Sarawak should have its state polls now. I hope the Agong realises the game plan of GPS and will not allow GPS to play politics and jeopardise the lives of so many Sarawakian voters,” he said.
Chiew said medical and health experts in Sarawak foresee a Delta variant explosion should the state elections take place now.
He voiced his hope that Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will seek the advice of health and medical experts instead of politicians or political parties such as GPS or Abang Johari before making a decision on the state polls.
“I hope the Agong will maintain his stance that the emergency he declared for Sarawak until February next year will remain as is and not be lifted earlier,” said Chiew.
In the meantime, Sarawak PKR has sent a letter to Istana Negara to petition the Agong not to allow GPS to have state elections before the emergency expires in February.
The petition was sent from the Sarawak PKR secretariat in Kuching to the palace in Kuala Lumpur, and was signed by acting state leadership council chairman Abang Zulkifli Engkeh.
Sarawak PKR was following in the footsteps of state opposition leader Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, who is president of Parti Sarawak Bersatu.
Wong had earlier this week sent a written petition to the Agong urging him not to lift the state of emergency in Sarawak early because the Covid-19 situation is still very serious with high daily spikes in new infections, ICU admissions and fatalities. – The Vibes, October 23, 2021
