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KUCHING: Members of the state cabinet plan to appeal to Yang di-Pertuan Agong to lift the emergency order in Sarawak if the state can bring the Covid-19 situation in the state to a manageable level.
Sarawak Chief Deputy Minister James Jemut Masing said several cabinet members had had an informal discussion on the matter.
He said that if the appeal is viewed favorably, it will pave the way for the state assembly elections to be held as scheduled, as the assembly term ends in June.
In a text message, he said the matter was informally discussed among his colleagues after the weekly state cabinet meeting on Wednesday, as a way to have PRN12 Sarawak (12 state elections) before the state assembly term expires in June.
The cabinet meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg and Masing confirmed that Johari was among those involved in the informal discussion.
Masing said that the call for new state elections would depend on the state’s ability to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases.
He said that the state of emergency declared by Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, restricted the movement of people.
“But if Sarawak can flatten the (infection) curve or contain Covid-19, we can ask the King to lift the emergency in Sarawak and then (we can) have the elections,” he said.
The state of emergency proclaimed on January 12 is scheduled to last until August 1.
General elections and by-elections to Parliament and state assemblies have been suspended. Meetings of Parliament and state assemblies have also been suspended while the emergency is in effect.
