KUCHING (Bernama): Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg says the state election must be held when the current term ends in June next year.

He said there were suggestions that the state elections should not be held during the Covid-19 pandemic, but explained that the assembly must be dissolved when the current term ends to pave way for elections.

"We have to go back to the people (for a fresh mandate) and we have a good government to manage Covid-19 (during the election process)," said Abang Johari, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, when closing the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Convention 2020 here Sunday (Oct 18).

He said Sarawak should continue to be ruled by Sarawakians and not people and political parties from outside the state.

GPS is a Sarawak based coalition of four parties, namely Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) of which Abang Johari is the president, SUPP, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

As GPS chairman, Abang Johari said he wanted all component parties to work together as a team and win the 12th state election convincingly, adding that the coming election would make them even stronger to build for the future.

"No country can be successful if the people are split and without any direction to govern and develop their country, but thank God, I have got the cooperation from all components parties," he said.

After Sarawak won the case on petroleum products sales tax against Petronas, he said Sarawak under GPS would continue to exercise its rights on minerals on its soil in order to diversify its income for additional revenue.

He said GPS would always think of the Sarawak people first and political stability in order to bring the state to another level of progress to attain a developed state by 2030.

"Our direction is clear, that is to be a developed state in Malaysia by 2030 but to do that we must develop our economy, strengthen our financial and develop our talents (manpower)," he added. – Bernama

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/10/18/abang-johari-sarawak-polls-must-be-held-when-term-ends-covid-19-or-not