Chong: ‘Reckless, heartless’ of GPS to hold polls before year end

0

Chong Chieng Jen

KUCHING (Oct 11): Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said it would be “reckless and heartless” for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to call for an election before the end of this year.

In a statement yesterday, the Kota Sentosa state assemblyman said it would be a total disregard of Sarawakian lives and the effort of frontliners fighting the pandemic for more than a year.

Citing a report on ‘Burnt Out Sarikei Frontliners’ that made national headlines as an example, he said it was just the tip of the iceberg as most frontliners throughout the state are facing the same problem of insufficient manpower, facilities and rest.

He went on to say that the state has been topping the daily new Covid cases in the country almost every day since August.

“In the last few weeks, I have received so many complaints from family members of those quarantined in the general hospital about lack of nurses and doctors who were all very tired.

“To make matters worse, the number of deaths from Covid is still piling up,” he said.

He claimed that the only reason for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and GPS to call for the state election before the end of this year was so those 18 years and above would not be able to vote this state polls.

“Is Abang Jo and the GPS so afraid of Undi18 and young voters that they have to risk the lives of so many Sarawakians and frontliners?

“That being the case, GPS is putting its personal political interest over and above the general interest of Sarawakians,” he said.

The High Court here in September ordered the federal government through the Election Commission to expedite the implementation of Undi18 – the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 – by Dec 31 this year.

Subsequently, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar confirmed that Putrajaya would not appeal the decision and would go ahead with the implementation of Undi18.