Ensure clear SOP in place if state election must be held this year

MIRI: Gabungan Anak Sarawak (Gasak) has called on the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) and Election Commission (EC) to ensure that a clear standard operation procedure (SOP) is in place in the event that the state election must be held this year.

“For instance, the public talks (ceramah) and campaigns would be difficult to control. There must be clear SOPs on these.

“It is also important to note that that the lives of Sarawakians must be prioritised,” said Gasak pro-tem president Bobby William.

However, Bobby, who is Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDS Baru) president felt that it is not the right time for a state election to be held now considering the current Covid-19 situation.

“Calling for an election during the pandemic is against the wishes of the majority of ‘Anak Sarawak’. But if Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) thinks it is the best strategy to remain in power, then let them be,” he said.

Bobby believed there is no need for GPS to rush into holding a state election now considering that the State Legislative Assembly will only expire in April next year, and it would have a maximum of sixty days from the date of the dissolution to hold the state election.

“By then, we believe that there will be several Covid-19 vaccines available on the market,” he said.

Bobby was commenting on a news article published by an online portal quoting Abang Johari as saying Sarawak would proceed with the state election as it had been effective in handling the Covid-19 situation in the state.

Abang Johari however did not mention when the state election will be held.

Besides health concern, Bobby said if the state election is to be held within this year, many Sarawakians who are eligible to vote would not be able to come back, thus being deprived of their right to vote.

He said while Gasak agrees with Abang Johari that the state election is a Sarawak’s affair and that outsiders should not interfere, the chief minister must know that Sarawak is part of Malaysia and Sarawakians are living across the country and outside Malaysia.