Masing prepared for Sarawak Election well before his passing - Joseph Salang

He said Masing had interviewed as well as held discussions with all PRS incumbent state assemblymen to let them know whether that they would be retained or not, as well as what they needed to do ahead of the election.

"That part of it, in terms of preparations for the elections in fact had been done quite a while ago. It had started since last year already (as) we had anticipated the possible election, except that it was halted by the upsurge in COVID-19 cases," he said.

Salang said this when met by reporters at the residence of Masing, who was Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister.

Masing died at the Normah Sarawak Medical Centre in Petra Jaya at 7.05 am today. He was 72.

Masing was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Sarawak General Hospital (HUS) here in September after he tested positive for COVID-19 and was later transferred to NSMC for follow-up treatment.

Salang said the PRS supreme council meeting today would proceed as scheduled as notice for the meeting had been duly served to all the council members and that he had also informed the party's secretary-general Datuk Janang Bungsu (on this).

"Even though there has been talk that the meeting will be postponed, I have told the party secretary- general that it has to proceed," he said, adding that he would chair the meeting.

He added that the meeting would first discuss on the funeral preparations for Masing before dwelling on the direction that the party would take following the passing of their president.

In the last state election in 2016, PRS led by Masing won 12 seats and was part of the State Barisan Nasional before they decided to leave the coalition in 2018 together with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) to form Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).