KUCHING (June 17): Certain guidelines aimed at curbing the possibility of Covid-19 transmission must be strictly followed when Sarawak holds its 12th State Election (PRN12) after the end of the Emergency period, said State Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing.
He said the guidelines include public health maintenance, prohibition of face-to-face campaigning, sufficient number of Election Commission (EC) workers, ballot boxes to be brought to the voters especially in rural areas, polling time extensions to allow physical distancing and a shorter campaigning period.
“When these measures are implemented, a low turnout of voters is expected. The EC must expect it. But, in the end, we have the government which has the mandate of our people. Thus, we maintain the practice of Parliamentary democracy and, at the same time, contain the danger posed by Covid-19,” he said in a statement today.
The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president said the PRN12 must be held by October this year should the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah lift the Emergency order by Aug 1, as the law requires the election to be held within two months from the end of the order.
“Sarawak is stuck between a hard rock and the deep blue sea! Do we (have) a choice? Fortunately, we do have a choice! We have to follow the laws. That is definite. The laws say PRN12 for Sarawak must be held by October 2021,” he added.
