King declares emergency for Gerik and Bugaya

The Cabinet has discussed in detail the impact of both by-elections should they be held during the Covid-19 pandemic

by SHAHEERA AZNAM SHAH / pic by BERNAMA

A STATE of emergency has been imposed in Bugaya, Sabah, and Gerik, Perak, to curb the spread of Covid-19 and postpone the simultaneous by-elections set for Jan 16 for both seats.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he had an audience with the King who consented to the Proclamation of Emergency.

He added that the Cabinet had discussed in detail the impact of the Gerik and Bugaya by-elections should they be held during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Learning from the coronavirus aftermath following the Sabah state election conducted previously, the Cabinet is in the view that the two upcoming by-elections should be postponed to a later date as they pose health threats to the public and economy.

“On behalf of the Cabinet, I extend my appreciation to His Majesty for his consent to declare a state of emergency for both constituencies,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The Proclamation of Emergency was based on Clause (1) of Article 150 of the Federal Constitution and Proclamation of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2020, which allows for the elections or by-elections to be postponed.

Previously, the Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh announced that by-elections for both seats would be conducted simultaneously on Jan 16, 2021, with the nomination be on Jan 4 and early voting on Jan 12.

The two by-elections are necessitated due to unexpected vacancies of the seats following the death of the respective incumbents.

The Gerik parliamentary seat fell vacant after its four-term MP Datuk Hasbullah Osman passed away due to heart disease on Nov 16, while Manis Muka Mohd Darah, the state assemblywoman for Bugaya, passed away on Nov 17.

Previously, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the government was considering postponing the two by-elections due to several concerns that arose during the preparation of the Batu Sapi by-election.

He said among the issues were insufficient EC officers and medical officers to manage the expected 32,000 voters and the possibility of violation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs), as well as the high chance of the SOPs being be flouted.

Out of the 837 election officers, only 143 were willing to work during the Batu Sapi by-election, he told the Dewan Rakyat last month.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah in the past also agreed to declare a state of emergency in the Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency in Sabah, postponing its by-election which was supposed to be held on Dec 5.