KUCHING, Nov 5 ― Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh strongly believed that the 12th state election should not be rushed following the 60-day grace period that took effect on November 3 after the lifting of the Emergency Order on Sarawak.
He also called upon all Undi18 voters to ‘let their voices be heard’, now that they might be denied of their right to vote.
For the record, Undi18 refers to the amendment to the Federal Constitution on lowering the minimum voting age to 18, which was approved in 2019, and is set for implementation in January next year.
“Speak to your elders, your friends and your colleagues. Let your voice be heard even if your votes would not be counted,” said Wong in a press statement yesterday.
He also said the PSB ‘condemned, in the strongest possible terms’, the decision by the present state’s ruling coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), in applying for the Emergency to be lifted so that it could rush to hold the state election before Undi18 could be implemented on January 1 next year.
“This decision by GPS is motivated solely by political expedience to try to win the state election before the new voters become eligible to vote.
“They may say that they passed the law to allow Undi18 (voters) to vote, but the reality is that they fear the uncertainty that comes with the new voters,” claimed Wong, insisting that there was no other plausible reason for the haste in calling the elections when the intensive care unit (ICU) usage in Sarawak was at 80 per cent.
“There is no margin for error. GPS would come out with the same nonsensical excuse that their (Sarawak State Legislative Assembly’s) term had expired and they needed to go back to the people for a fresh mandate.
“But they could just as well call an election when the Emergency expires on February 2, 2022, at which time the Undi18 (voters) would be eligible to vote.
“They (GPS) are so frightened of the Undi18 voters that they had to petition for early termination of the Emergency so they could go to the polls before January 1, 2022.
“Watch GPS. Such a callous decision to go to the polls would place the lives of Sarawakians at risk. History would judge GPS for such a deed,” stressed Wong, who was former second finance minister back when the state’s ruling coalition was Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak.
On October 22, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg who is also GPS chairman, dismissed all allegations about the state government wanting to hold the state election soon to avoid the implementation of Undi18. ― Borneo Post
