KUCHING: Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg will have an audience with
the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah over the dissolution of the Sarawak State Assembly (DUN).
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said Abang Johari who is the GPS chairman had met the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
"This was to inform that under the Sarawak Constitution, the State Assembly period ends on 6 June 2021, five years from 7 June 2016, the date of the first state assembly following the 2016 Sarawak State Election.
"Since the Covid-19 pandemic Health Emergency will be in place until August 1, 2021, the dissolution of the state assembly will be set on a date deemed appropriate by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after consultation with the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak.
"The Chief Minister will have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on this matter.
"We are confident in the wisdom of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak in this matter," he said in a statement today.
The Sarawak state assembly term will end on 6 June 2021.
Under the existing convention, the DUN should be dissolved to restore the mandate as well as the democratic right of the people to elect a government through elections.
However, the 12th State Election cannot be held at this time as the country is under the Covid-19 pandemic health Emergency until Aug 1.
The 2021 Sarawak state election, formally the 12th Sarawak state election, was supposed to be held on or before Sept 5 to elect the 19th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.
However, the declaration of the Emergency by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong earlier this year has placed the state election in limbo.
In the 2016 state election, the Sarawak Barisan Nasional, led by the Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, won 72 out the 82 seats up for grabs in the May 7, 2016, state election while Pakatan Harapan (PH) made up of state DAP, PKR and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) won the remaining 10 seats.
Following the 2018 general election, parties that formed the Sarawak Barisan Nasional quit the national coalition to form GPS.