See Chee How
KUCHING (July 29): Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah would likely make a Proclamation of Emergency under Article 150(2A) of the Federal Constitution to bar Sarawak from holding the 12th state election, opined Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How.
The Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) lawmaker said he concurred with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg that the Election Commission (EC) must first devise credible and upright standard operating procedures (SOPs) before the state election could be held.
See said the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the state must be under control and in check and that the lives and health of Sarawakians be given paramount consideration before the election.
“However, I hope that the EC will immediately set out to form a committee, which comprises representatives from all political parties which will be taking part in the next state election, related government departments and agencies, civil rights NGOs advocating electoral reforms for free and fair election, such as Bersih, to work on the SOPs with a timeline to complete the tasks in two months,” he said in a statement today.
See asserted that there should be an independent health advisory committee to devise measures and plans to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic situation in Sarawak, supervise and monitor the situation, and advise the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to lift the Emergency to pave way for the next state election.
He said Malaysia, in general, and the EC, in particular, should learn the lessons from the Sabah state election that the present election SOPs were inadequate and largely lackadaisical, resulting in the spike of the pandemic across the country.
“The electoral mandate is significant but it must be achieved in adherence to the principle that the voters are free to exercise their constitutional rights in our parliamentary democracy and that the legitimacy of Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) in terms of representation and inclusiveness.
“There are presently 1.26 million registered voters in Sarawak, out of our population of 2.82 million, of which 1.98 million are now aged 21 and above.
“Only 63.63 per cent of all eligible Sarawakians are registered voters and be able to vote in the next state election, and they constitute only 44.68 per cent of Sarawak’s population,” he said.
See pointed out not all registered Sarawakian voters will have the opportunity to vote in the next state election.
He added that any hindrance or impediment inhibiting voter turnout would essentially undermine the country’s system of parliamentary democracy, infringing voters’ constitutional rights, and call to question the legitimacy of the Sarawak DUN.
According to him, if there is a 50 per cent voter turnout in the next state election, it would only be representative of 31.81 per cent of those aged 21 and above, and 22.34 per cent of all Sarawakians.
In this regard, See opined a state government which may win 60 per cent of the popular votes would be supported by just 19.09 per cent of those aged 21 and above, and 13.4 per cent of Sarawakians.
“It will be a huge dent to the legitimacy, acceptability, and authority of an elected legislative assembly or our DUN Sarawak,” he claimed.
As such, See said the EC must rope in all others in devising the election SOPs to ensure that there will be no repeat of the adversities in the Sabah experience.
“Let us all work together to ensure that all Sarawakians voters will turn out in droves, in all constituencies, in safety and feeling free to vote and decide on the next government, which will take Sarawak and all Sarawakians to enjoy the autonomous power we are entitled and the economic prosperity all Sarawakians and our future generations deserve,” he added.