KOTA SAMARAHAN: The State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting, which will be held next month, could be the last one before the state polls.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said so as the current term would end June next year.
“I believe it will be the last one because our DUN sitting will expire in the middle of next year. I don’t think we can have another sitting after the last one, which will be held this November.”
The DUN sitting is scheduled to take place from Nov 9 to 18.
Asked when the state election would be held, he explained that the DUN must first be resolved.
“Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg would know when the state election would be held. Personally, I see it’s not very far away-lah.”
He said this after attending the launching ceremony of D-Virtual Park, Jalan Meranek here officiated by Abang Johari on Monday (Oct 12).
Abdul Karim, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, further said that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government had been managing the state budget prudently and that it should be given another mandate by the people.
“Since Abang Johari took over as Chief Minister, he had come up with so many things like the coastal roads, bridges and state’s own television station – TVS.
“Most of these development projects have begun since three years ago when he just took over, so there is no such thing as preparing for election as everything is already moving on the ground.”
In another development, Abdul Karim admitted that the government was facing shortage of contractors for projects under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP).
“The projects are there, but we have problem in terms of difficulty in securing contractors to do the projects.
“This is different than 10 to 15 years ago when we were facing problem in getting projects because there was no money.
“However, this time it is the opposite, whereby we have difficulty in getting good contractors. Those who have been blacklisted in the past, we cannot put them in again.
“Despite such problem, 80 per cent of the development projects are on schedule. Some had to be delayed for unavoidable reasons.”
Commenting on Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meeting Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Tuesday (Oct 13), Abdul Karim predicted that Anwar would be disappointed afterwards.
“I strongly believe that when Anwar meets the Agong, he would be advised to not cause political disruption and that we have a good government facing the Covid-19 pandemic and the Prime Minister seems to be able to handle it.”
