KUCHING: Acknowledging that the 12th state election was a popular topic on everyone’s lips now, Datuk Snowdan Lawan said Sarawakians must wait for the official announcement on the poll date.
The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief pointed out that although the exact date for the state election had not been specified yet, the current term of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) expired on June 6 this year.
As such, he said Sarawak would be required to hold its state election within 60 days from the revocation or annulment of the Emergency.
“Therefore, we shall wait for the Election Commission (EC) to sit down, meet and determine when the election is to be held,” he said when contacted on Thursday (Nov 4).
His said this when prompted for his opinions on the ideal time to hold the state election, following the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s consent on Wednesday to lift the Proclamation of Emergency for Sarawak.
Snowdan, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports, said before the state election, there are many things the government has to consider.
“These include the ongoing pandemic, weather, democratic rights, the current DUN term, the new norms, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) — just to name a few,” he said.
Snowdan stressed that public health must be given utmost consideration above all during the Sarawak state election in view of the ongoing Covid-19 circumstances.
He emphasised that the EC must come up with the required SOPs.
“On our part, as participating parties in the election, we must comply if the EC bans gatherings or house-to-house campaigns based on advice from the Health Ministry on the SOPs.
“Somehow, we have to trade a bit of our freedom for the greater good of everybody’s health,” he said.
