PKR’s Roland Engan wants ‘fair’ election, chance to meet voters

MIRI: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak vice-chairman Roland Engan has called for a fair election as well as chance to meet and greet voters in longhouses before or during the campaign period for the 12th state election.

Roland, who is also PKR Baram chairman, said the Election Commission (EC) must come up with a fair policy especially with regard to allowing all political parties to use public properties such as the civic centre or schools for their campaign.

“If Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is allowed to use halls such as at the civic centres or schools, other political parties in particular the opposition should also be given equal treatment to use the same facilities. As for visit to longhouses, the ‘tuai rumahs’ (village heads) must take an apolitical stance by allowing all candidates irrespective of their political party to use their ‘ruai’ (common areas), so that every candidate will get an opportunity to introduce themselves and their manifesto to their voters,” he told The Borneo Post recently.

Roland also said if the village heads decided not to allow candidates and their campaign workers to visit their longhouse for fear of Covid-19, the decision should apply to all political parties.

“By ensuring all these, we believe that it would contribute to a fair election in the state,” he added.

If GPS is allowed to use halls such as at the civic centres or schools, other political parties in particular the opposition should also be given equal treatment to use the same facilities.

Roland Engan