Lina Soo
KUCHING (June 21): Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo calls for the state government to immediately take action and facilitate the last State Legislative Assembly (DUN) meeting as soon as possible before the 12th state election (PRN12).
“As His Highness the Agong has decided not to extend the Emergency beyond August 1 and specifically allowed both parliamentary and state assemblies to sit, the Sarawak government must immediately take action to facilitate the last DUN sitting before PRN12,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Soo pointed out that there was no reason to delay the DUN sitting as she believed all state assemblymen and assemblywomen had completed their vaccinations.
She added that the sitting should reconvene as soon as possible to conform with all the constitutional requirements and all outstanding issues and debates in DUN prior to the forthcoming Sarawak election.
She deemed it ‘a tactical delay’ for DUN to sit only after the Emergency is lifted, adding that such a move is a denial of the democratic process against the wishes of the people and a mockery of the intentions of the Palace to bring certainty and stability to the nation.
“Sarawak can hold its PRN12 within 60 days of the lifting of the Emergency, barring unforeseen circumstances – with the vaccination programme proceeding on schedule where the majority of Sarawakians will have been vaccinated by August, most of the voters will feel safe to go out and vote with all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
“Exercising our democratic right to vote to choose our government is most critical after all the challenges we have faced these two years.
“So, the DUN which has been prorogued by the Emergency must meet one last time before PRN12, and not after,” Soo stressed.
On another matter, Soo congratulated the state government on the Covid-19 vaccination rollout, despite some hiccups especially with regards to the implementation of the exercise in rural areas.
She expressed her hope that the government can iron out the problems expediently so as to ensure the success of the programme.