KUCHING, Nov 7 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof has brushed off speculation that he may contest in the 13th Sarawak state election.

Asked by reporters whether there was any truth to speculation that he could be among the candidates in the upcoming polls, Fadillah said he was unaware of it.

“That is speculation, so there is no need to comment. I myself do not know,” he said.

Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP and minister of energy transition and water transformation, was speaking to reporters after officiating the Royal Malaysia Police Sarawak Contingent futsal court at the Sarawak Contingent Police headquarters here on Saturday.

He was also asked about the key dates announced by the Election Commission (EC) for the state election.

Fadillah, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice president and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) parliamentary chief whip, said PBB and GPS election machinery was already prepared, with preparations having been carried out since the previous state election.

“Actually, our work is carried out all the time. Since the last election, we have already started working. This is just the democratic process where we have to hold an election,” he said.

He said PBB’s election machinery was ready to assist all GPS component parties, with logistics and other arrangements already in place ahead of nomination day.

“All the groundwork has been arranged, including logistics and everything. We are ready and waiting for nomination day, after which the machinery will start going to the ground,” he said.

On the 14-day campaign period, the longest in Sarawak’s electoral history, Fadillah said GPS respected the EC’s decision and would prepare accordingly.

“That is the discretion or jurisdiction of the EC. As a party, we respect whatever decision is made.

“For us, we need to prepare ourselves. If it is 14 days, we prepare for 14 days. If it is 10 days, then we work for 10 days. That is the authority of the EC,” he said.

He said the election was ultimately about giving voters the opportunity to decide who would administer Sarawak for the next five years.

“The election is only for us to hand it back to the people to determine who will administer our state, particularly for the next five years,” he said. — The Borneo Post