Senator Alan Ling
MIRI (July 20): The Sarawak state election, which is rumoured to be held before year-end should, be postponed to next year until the Covid-19 situation in the country is fully under control, said Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak secretary Alan Ling.
Ling, when met here today, said the state government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) should not hold the state election this year as the country is still battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The daily infection does not show any improvement. In fact it is getting worse. In Sarawak, the cases are still high even though there were days we see the cases below 200,” said the DPA senator.
Apart from the high number of infection recorded daily, Ling said there are still a large number of Sarawak population that have yet to be vaccinated, of which, he said, the more reason to postpone the state election.
The Sarawak Legislative Assembly’s five-year term expired in June this year, but the election has been postponed following the declaration of Emergency by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong until Aug 1 this year.
If the Emergency proclamation were to be lifted on Aug 1, the Sarawak state election must be called within 60 days.
On another note, he said DAP Sarawak and other Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties are fully prepared to face the state polls, regardless of when it is going to be held.