DAP wants a localised state of emergency in Sarawak and the state’s 12th elections to be deferred amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said that now is not the time for polls.

He said that, as of Sunday, herd immunity had still not been achieved, with only 58.9% of the adult population having received their first vaccine dose and 40.5% their second.

“In other words, about 60% of our population is not fully vaccinated,” he said.

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Takiyuddin Hassan told Parliament the government has decided not to advise Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to extend the state of emergency when it expires on August 1, thus paving the way for the state assembly to be finally dissolved.

It should have been dissolved on June 6 but this was suspended by the state of emergency.

The Sarawak constitution states that an election must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the assembly.

Chong said the recent outbreak of the Delta variant had also shown that even those who had received two doses of vaccination could still be infected.

“As at today, there are still hundreds of new infection cases daily in Sarawak. Schools are closed.

“Many businesses are still ordered to close and most businesses can only operate at a reduced capacity,” he said.

Employers are struggling with their businesses and every day many are asking for aid to put food on the table, the Stampin MP added

“With all this happening, it is not the time to call for the state election.

“Federal and state governments must make sure that it is safe to vote before calling for the next election, otherwise the GPS government would be guilty of putting the lives and health of Sarawakians at risk.

“Even if the federal government wishes to revoke the emergency order nationwide, it is still possible to have a localised emergency in respect of Sarawak, to prevent holding the state election within the next 60 days,” he said. – July 27, 2021.