KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Sarawak government will wait for the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah’s decision on whether the national Emergency, slated to end on August 1, will be extended or not.
“Right now, as we know, the Emergency is still on. Whether there will be a new Emergency or not, we have to wait,” he said.
He said this when fielding questions at a press conference by reporters today on whether the emergency will be extended just for Sarawak only so that the impending 12th state election can be put on hold until the Covid-19 situation improves.
Having said that, Abang Johari said the election can be held provided it is safe to carry out amid the pandemic, and the Election Commission (EC) must also have an election standard operating procedure (SOP) in place.
As far as the state is concerned, he said, the people’s health and safety are of the utmost importance.
“Our Emergency will end on Aug 1. We see what will happen next. There are three things that we need to consider first.
“Firstly, has the Covid-19 situation improved? Secondly, the EC must have the SOP prepared.
“Thirdly, we don’t want what happened in Sabah (Covid-19 spike after its state election) to happen here,” he told the media after officiating at the launch of the Orang Ulu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OUCCI) at Waterfront Hotel here today.
He said the current state government needed a new mandate “so it’s up to agencies such as the Ministry of Health and EC to really weigh all these because the decisions are theirs.”
“We just have to wait for what’s going to happen within these two weeks,” added the Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman.
He went on to say that if the emergency ended on Aug 1, then the state election must be held within 60 days.
“But, we must make sure that the situation is conducive whereby there is an improvement in the Covid-19 situation,” he said, adding that the State Legislative Assembly has not been dissolved yet.
He said if polls are held in an unsuitable atmosphere, the public would be scared to vote.
On whether or not Sarawak would extend the emergency period as raised by Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen during the special Parliament sitting on Monday, Abang Johari said the power would lie with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.
“Right now, as we know we are still under emergency. Whether there will be a new emergency or not, together we have to wait.”
Earlier, Abang Johari officiated at the launching ceremony of the Orang Ulu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OUCCI) at The Waterfront Hotel here today.
