KUCHING: The state of emergency in Sarawak, which has been extended for six months, should be lifted earlier if the Covid-19 situation improves and is under control.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)-led state government needs a fresh mandate from the people to administer the state for the next five years.
He said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah was advised to extend the state of emergency in Sarawak from Aug 2 until Feb 2, 2022, in a bid to combat the threats posed by Covid-19.
"However, if the situation improves in the next few weeks or any time after we have flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections, we can advise the king to lift the emergency earlier, to pave the way for the 12th Sarawak state election," he said when contacted.
"We need a fresh mandate from the people, the sooner the better, but of course without risking the health of Sarawakians. Hence, we need stringent standard operating procedures (SOP)," he said.
Masing, who is Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, said other countries such as Singapore, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States held their elections during the Covid-19 pandemic without a devastating impact on the population.
Meanwhile, Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian expressed his appreciation to the King and Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud for seeking advices and consultations from the federal and state governments as well as professionals over the last few weeks.
"As soon as it is safe, we should return the mandate to the people. Let the people decide on (whether they want to vote for) leaders who are competent, able to work and perform in this extraordinarily challenging time; or those who merely continue the old habits of politicking for their own position," he said.
The Sarawak state assembly should have been dissolved on June 7, but was suspended following the state of Emergency proclaimed in the whole of Malaysia until Aug 1.
The extension of the state of Emergency in Sarawak would also see the postponement of the state polls, which would have had to be held within 60 days from Aug 2.