Press Statement By Abdul Aziz:
DAP Batu Kitang is in a state of readiness should the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) be dissolved by this year to pave the way for the Sarawak 12th State Election (SE), said DAP Batu Kitang chairman Abdul Aziz Isa.
Recently, the news regarding the dissolution of the DUN Sarawak became hotly debated when the President of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg hinted that the SE12 will be held by this year.
However, his statement received brickbats and criticism from the vast majority of Sarawakians. This is because most feel that it is not appropriate due to the increasing rate of Covid-19 infections in this country. Although the state government has assured that the number of Covid-19 infection cases in the state is under control, the virus can mutate and spread rapidly as the country had witnessed in the recently concluded Sabah SE16.
Statement after statement from PBB senior leaders in support of Abang Johari’s statement proves that the PBB is not sensitive to the feelings of the vast majority of Sarawakians. If it is true that PBB leaders prioritize the safety and welfare of the people of Sarawak, they should
postpone the dissolution of DUN Sarawak and the Sarawak SE12 until September 7, 2021.There is no reason for Abang Johari to dissolve DUN Sarawak this year as the state mandate will end on September 7, 2021.
According to Abdul Aziz Isa, the obsession of PBB leaders to call for state elections this year proves that the PBB only cares about their political survival without considering the security and welfare of the people. In fact, if the Sarawak SE12 is held by this year, it will be difficult for young people working outside Sarawak to return to vote due to the 14-day quarantine order that will be imposed on them. Of course, this 14-day quarantine order will invalidate their desire to
return to state to cast their votes and eventually deny them the right to exercise their responsibilities as voters.
Abdul Aziz Isa stated this when meeting with the residents of Kpg Haji Baki to set up the DAP Haji Baki Election Machinery Main Committee. This is the first time DAP has formed the election machinery in Kpg Haji Baki. Before this, no political party has ever formed the election machinery at the Kpg Haji Baki and this is a first for the residents of Kpg Haji Baki.
The DAP Haji Baki Election Machinery Main Committee will be chaired by Marzuki Kambrie and he will be assisted by Mohd Ridhuan Hassimi as secretary. The DAP Haji Baki Election Machinery Main Committee will be divided into three sub-committees covering Block A, Block B and Block C. The members of the DAP Haji Baki Election Machinery Main Committee are comprised of Kpg Haji Baki residents from various backgrounds. It is expected that more residents of Kpg Haji Baki will join this election machinery.
Kpg Haji Baki has one voting center which is SK Haji Baki and it is divided into four polling streams. In the SE 2016, DAP garnered only 196 votes (19.27%). However, in the 2018 general election, DAP managed to garner 433 votes (32.70%) which is an increase of 120.92% votes as compared to SE 2016. This means that DAP votes swung by 13.43% within two years. If this momentum continues, it is expected that the vote swing to DAP will increase by 26.86% in the
next state election making the expected DAP popular votes will increase to 59.56%.
If Abang Johari still insists on dissolving the Sarawak DUN and hold the SE12 while our country is still facing the Covid-19 pandemic, Abdul Aziz Isa urged the people of Sarawak to reject PBB as a sign of protest and don’t give PBB the chance to return to power.
