KUCHING: Sarawakian voters were urged to come out and vote this Saturday and not listen to fake news regarding the state's COVID situation.

"On Dec 18, please come out to vote with confidence, don't listen to fake news by those who are not real medical experts," said Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is the advisor to the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) today.

He said the state had started giving booster shots to the people since October and based on modelling by local experts, COVID cases in the state would fall below 50 cases daily.

The death rate would also be down, he added.

"But you and I will need to play our role by wearing a mask. Please exercise your duty once every five years as a citizen of Sarawak," he said in a virtual appearance at the online launch of plans for Padungan by Kuching South Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng, who is contesting the seat in this weekend's state election as a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate.

Sarawak registered 47 new COVID infections yesterday. All were light cases except for one pneumonia case.

Dr Sim is president of the Sarawak United Peoples' Party, one of the four component parties of GPS. He will face a four-cornered fight in his bid to defend the Batu Kawah seat with DAP's Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen; Chai Kueh Khun of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Fong Pau Teck of Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi).

-- BERNAMA