SARAWAK Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg has brushed off speculations the state election will be held in October.

“Lagi lama (still long way off),” he told reporters as he made light of the speculations that have been swirling about. 

The state government’s mandate expires in June next year.

Abang Johari was speaking after making a site inspection visit in his constituency to get an update on the progress of infrastructure projects there.

Part of his constituency is within the city’s urban renewal enclave.

When asked if PAS had reneged on a promise not to contest in the state election as the Islamist party is a coalition partner with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the Perikatan Nasional federal government, Abang Johari said at the moment he was unsure of what is happening in PAS.

“Whether the top (PAS) leadership directed them (state leadership), I don’t know,” he said in reference to the statement made yesterday by Sarawak PAS Commissioner Jofri Jaraiee, who said the party will be fielding candidates in the state election. 

The statement contradicts PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s assurance on July 2 to the heads of all 12 parties that support the PN government in their presidential council meeting in Putrajaya that the party would not be contesting. 

Jofri said in his statement the party had already identified the seats they would be contesting but did not say how many or where. 

Abang Johari was unruffled by the PAS antic, dismissing their u-turn as their democratic right to contest. 

PAS contested in 11 seats, mainly Malay, Muslim-majority seats in the 2016 election. 

They not only failed to win even one seat, they were trounced in most of them. 

Nearly three-quarters of its candidates, including Jofri who stood in the Chinese-majority seat of Pujut in Miri, lost their deposit. 

Jofri polled only 413 votes of the 17,098 votes cast. 

The other seats PAS contested were the Malay-majority seats of Lambir, Jepak, Beting Maro, Sebuyau, Sadong Jaya, Muara Tuang, Samariang, Santubong and interestingly in two Dayak-majority seats – Samalaju and Kakus. – August 8, 2020.