No rush to call for state election for now - Sarawak CM

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg today said that he was in no rush to call for the state election, particularly with the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases now.

He said although the state election could be called anytime now, public health should be given due consideration before he could make such a call.

"We are monitoring the situation. Why should we rush (to call for an election) as the (health of the) people is more important," he told reporters after attending a lunch gathering with Samarahan community leaders, here.

Abang Johari said he would get expert advice from the Health Ministry and ensure that the Election Commission would be fully prepared to implement procedures for the new norms in conducting the election.

"They (health experts) are monitoring and they are giving me advice (to facilitate my making the decision on the election)," he said, while declining to reveal the advice given to him by the experts.

Talks of the Sarawak election have been rife since earlier this year as the term for the State Assembly will end in June next year.

"The state election is inevitable, except that we don't know when is the election (going to be called)," said Abang Johari, who is also the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman.

Meanwhile, GPS secretary-general, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said the coalition, which also included Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), had not yet decided on any date to call for the state election.

"So far, there is no meeting of the GPS Supreme Leadership Council to discuss the state election," he said in a statement.

He added that the GPS government was very concerned about the current spike of COVID-19 infections and was seriously taking into consideration the danger of the disease on the safety and lives of the people in Sarawak.

-- BERNAMA