KUCHING (July 31): With the Proclamation of Emergency in the state extended to February 2, 2022, the state election can now be postponed to a date after the Covid-19 pandemic has reached a safe level, said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
It said in a statement today that the state election, which has to be held within a certain timeframe, can be pushed to a time period that professional health advice and scientific data deems a safe level.
“With this provision, it will be guaranteed that the mandate of the people will be obtained immediately as soon as the pandemic situation is under control.
“The important thing is that it will happen based on scientific data and professional advice, so that the safety and the health of the people of Sarawak will not be compromised before the state election,” it said in a statement issued today.
CMO said the state government gives its full support to the Proclamation of Emergency and also the Emergency Ordinance for the State of Sarawak, which will take effect from August 2 until February 2 next year.
“On behalf of the Sarawak state government, we are confident that the decision and His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s actions are in line with the stand of the state government to always give priority to two matters, which are to safeguard the safety and welfare of the people of Sarawak and to uphold the practice of parliamentary democracy in Sarawak.
“We thank His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at his discretion in ensuring that state election can be held only when circumstances of the pandemic in the state is already under control and does not affect the safety of the people of this State.
“However, to ensure that the practice of parliamentary democracy is maintained, the mandate from the people of Sarawak needs to be regained as soon as the situation permits,” it said.
It added that based on the ordinance, the Emergency will end on February 2, 2022 or may be ended earlier by His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after considering the views of the Sarawak state government.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had decreed that Sarawak be placed under a Proclamation of Emergency from August 2, 2021, to February 2, 2022.
The proclamation has prevented the state election from being held within 60 days from the expiry of the current nationwide Emergency on Monday.
A Federal Government Gazette dated July 30 said that the King was satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby security, economic life and public order was threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It pointed out that the Sarawak Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) should have been dissolved on June 7, 2021, but paragraph 15(1)(a) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 had suspended the dissolution of the DUN.