KUCHING, May 16 — Sarawak PKR today urged Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg to seek for the dissolution of the Sarawak state assembly on June 6 when he has an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong later to pave the way for the state election to be held.
Its information chief Abun Sui Anyit said Abang Johari should not seek the current term of the state assembly to be extended after it has expired on June 6.
“If the Agong does not issue a decree to end the state of Covid-19 Emergency earlier, then the state election should be held within 60 days after the Emergency ends on August 1, in accordance with the State Constitution,” Abun said in a statement when responding to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi’s statement yesterday.
He also argued that the current state Cabinet should cease to exist once the current term of the state assembly expires on June 6 and the running of the state should be placed under a caretaker government.
Abun urged the chief minister to act in accordance with the State Constitution, where under normal situation, the payment of salaries to the ministers and state assemblymen should stop upon the expiry of the term of the state assembly.
“This is important to protect their integrity because the chief minister holds the key to all of GPS’ actions in Sarawak,” he said.
He said the state PKR hopes that GPS would not manipulate the Emergency Ordinance 2021 for its own interests or motives that are contrary to the intention of the State Constitution.
At a press conference yesterday, Nanta had said Abang Johari would seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the dissolution of the Sarawak state assembly.
He said the dissolution of the state assembly would be on the date to be decided by the King after consultation with Sarawak Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Nanta, who is also the federal Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, told reporters that Abang Johari had an audience with Sarawak Governor Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and informed him that under the Sarawak Constitution, the tenure of the current state assembly would end on June 6 this year, which is five years from the date of the first meeting on June 7, 2016, after the state election of 2016.
However, he said this provision of the State Constitution had no effect by virtue of the Emergency Ordinance 2021.
He said it was up to the King to decide on the date he thinks is appropriate to hold the state election.
