IPOH: A state of emergency should be declared in Gerik to postpone the by-election from being held there, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said.
Ahmad Faizal, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president said the declaration was crucial to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and prevent another wave of the disease from emerging.
"Our priority right now is not about politics but the health of the people due to the rising cases of Covid-19.
"The King has agreed to declare a state of emergency in Batu Sapi to postpone the by-election that is scheduled there for Dec 5 and we should take it as a lesson.
"I think the same declaration (state of emergency) must be called for in Gerik," he told reporters after launching the Covid-19 Special Agriculture Project Programme at Bangunan Perak Darul
Ridzuan here today.
On Monday, four-term Gerik member of parliament, Datuk Hasbullah Osman died due to a heart ailment at the Raub Hospital, Pahang at about 7pm.
Yesterday, the Dewan Rakyat notified the Election Commission (EC) regarding the vacancy for the Gerik parliamentary seat in Perak following the death of Hasbullah.
The King yesterday agreed to declare a state of emergency in Batu Sapi, ahead of the parliamentary constituency's by-election, effectively postponing it.
Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the King had consented to the emergency declaration at the parliamentary constituency, as a proactive measure to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Election Commission had set Nov 23 for the nomination, Dec 1 for early voting, and Dec 5 for polling for the Batu Sapi by-election.