KUCHING, Oct 15 ― Candidates contesting in the 15th general election (GE15) should avoid raising racial issues in their campaign, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He said doing so was akin to pouring poison into the state's multiracial society.

"In a plural society like Sarawak we should not resort to such tactic (using racial issues). It is a negative, most unsavoury tactic to fish for votes,” he said in a statement here, today.

Uggah, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president, said Sarawak was still a bastion of racial unity and harmony in the country.

"It is our hope that we can still maintain this status. Let us reject any candidate capitalising on such issue just to win votes," he said.

PBB is the lynchpin party of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition which also features Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Parti Demokratik Progresif (PDP).

On October 10, caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the dissolution of Parliament to pave the way for GE15.

The Election Commission will hold a special meeting to discuss and determine the important dates of GE15 on October 20. ― Bernama