BETONG, Oct 18 — Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah today said that all election workers and campaigners from outside the state must obtain a work permit from the state Immigration Department before they are allowed entry in the event of a state election.

“They are here to work so the permit is a must for those coming from Sabah or the peninsula,” he said when officiating a briefing for Bukit Saban constituency campaigners, as well as polling and counting agents at Debak, near here.

Uggah, who is the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, also warned Sarawakians that campaign workers from the peninsula are known for their more aggressive or robust behaviour.

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“Let us not be cowed by them nor should we imitate them,” he added.

On a lighter note, he said election fever was very much in the air in the Betong Division.

“Some people believe in flying more of their party flags here than our GPS flags.

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“Let us respond accordingly by matching them to show we mean business in safeguarding our turf,” he said.

Uggah, who is also PBB deputy president, urged all workers that they must spare no effort in ensuring all GPS candidates not only retain their respective seats, but also win big in the coming state polls.

He said this is to allow the state coalition to form the government again.

“We must have a rock-solid foundation for a very strong, stable government,” he said, adding that they must be fully prepared as the election could be called any day now.

“Our campaigners must be able to rebut the many accusations and lies propagated by those who are against us,” he said.

Earlier, Uggah, who is state agriculture modernisation, native land and regional development minister, inspected several projects being implemented in Debak.

They include the RM6.2 million Spaoh waterfront project, RM5 million new sub-district office, RM5 million new market and the site of the RM30 million new Spaoh bridge crossing the Paku river.