KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) has urged the state government to prioritise the health and wellbeing of the people instead of their own political interest, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh claimed there was an on-going effort within the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to hold the 12th Sarawak state election soon.
He said he was informed by 'trusted sources' that the ruling coalition viewed the recent High Court decision to allow 18-year-olds to vote does not work to their advantage and hence the haste to avoid this unpredictable bloc of voters.
"GPS, as the ruling coalition, would be able to dictate election procedures in the pandemic to their own advantage, with unfair measures like the imposition of 'no campaign' elections," he said in a statement today.
"Although we are ready to fight in the state polls on a level playing field at any time, we do not support any call for an early election before the emergency declaration ends. The Covid-19 menace in Sarawak is far from over, with infection rates continually the highest in the nation."
PSB, Wong said, has always been consistent in their belief of the rule of law, that the lives of Sarawakians were paramount.
He said the GPS coalition should wait for the emergency declaration to end in February next year, which is only three months away, before planning to call for an election.
"It is only three months away from today, why the hurry? Are they afraid about the new voters, those aged between 18 and 21? GPS should not deprive their legal right to have a say in the governance of the state and their future as Sarawakians and that is a most dishonourable thing to do," he said.
Wong said though they acknowledged that the number of fully vaccinated adults and even teenagers were relatively high and continued to increase, it was necessary to take into account children below twelve years old and babies who were not yet vaccinated against Covid-19.
He said PSB respectfully appealed to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah not to agree to any request or suggestion from GPS to prematurely lift the emergency.
"We appeal to His Majesty not to allow the state election to be held until the emergency officially ends in February next year," Wong said.
