LAWAS, Nov 14 — It is the nature of the opposition to pick on something and turn it into an issue, including the Proclamation of Emergency declared in Sarawak before, said Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

The Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak said that when the emergency was enforced in the state, the opposition raised the issue by accusing the state government of trying to hide behind the emergency powers.

“We are actually in injury time, the opposition said that when the emergency was extended, the GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government tried to hide (by refusing to hold the state election) behind the emergency... when it was ended, the story was different.

“That is, the opposition does not have a fixed stance, (the opposition) wants to make an issue out of everything,” he told Bernama after attending a briefing with the PBB machinery for the Bukit Sari state constituency, in Lawas, last night.

Awang Tengah stressed that every decision to enforce, as well as to end, the emergency in Sarawak, and the implementation of the state election has not been made arbitrarily, but carefully, and based on advice by taking into account all aspects of health, safety, and people’s lives while balancing the democratic process.

He explained that GPS is also waiting and accepting all decisions set by the Election Commission (EC) to implement the Sarawak polls, by taking into account the current developments of Covid-19, including the possibility of introducing new SOPs based on the ongoing Melaka polls.

Last Friday, a media reported that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak has appealed to the EC to put off the Sarawak state election amidst the rising new Covid-19 cases and the death toll in the country.

Yesterday, PKR president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has agreed to the postponement of the 12th Sarawak state election if the health and safety of the people are at stake following the development of Covid-19 in the state.

The EC had previously said that a special meeting on the Sarawak state election would be held on November 24 in Kuching, following the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to lift the Proclamation of Emergency for Sarawak on November 3.

In the meantime, Awang Tengah said the election machinery from all GPS component parties is now ready to adapt to all EC SOPs, including if there are new SOPs to be introduced.

He said that all party machinery is always reminded to abide by the rules set, apart from being prepared with all the constraints to campaign at the state polls. — Bernama