KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) views the decision to declare an emergency in Batu Sapi as a proactive move by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
Its chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said the King's proactive decision is intended to protect the people from the ongoing Covid-19 threat.
"The declaration of emergency that cancels the Batu Sapi by-election is not meant to deny the democratic rights of the people, especially voters in the parliamentary constituency.
"The by-election is being postponed," he said in a statement today, adding that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin assured the by-election would be held once the Covid-19 pandemic subsided.
Bung Moktar said the Agong has shown his priority towards the safety and wellbeing of the Sabah people following the increase of Covid-19 clusters and a spike in daily positive cases after the 16th Sabah Election on Sept 26.
He stressed the state election experience should serve as a lesson for everyone not to take the coronavirus pandemic for granted.
Bung Moktar, who is also Sabah Umno chief, said there were 808 Covid-19 cumulative cases recorded on Sept 12 which was the nomination day for the Sabah election.
The number, he said, increased dramatically after the Sept 26 polling day, where Sabah became the state with the highest positive cases.
"This matter needs to be viewed rationally, especially the implications if we continue with the Batu Sapi by-election.
"It will take time for the Covid-19 outbreak to recover. With this in mind, Sabah BN had earlier made a stand not to contest in Batu Sapi," Bung Moktar added.
The Batu Sapi by-election was necessitated following the death of its incumbent Datuk Liew Vui Keong of Parti Warisan Sabah on Oct 2.
Nomination day for Batu Sapi by-election was supposed to be on Nov 23, while polling day was to take place Dec 5.
