KUCHING: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation in the country, Pas has decided to only contest one state seat in the 12th Sarawak election slated for nomination on Monday (Dec 6).
Its deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the party will field its sole candidate at the Beting Maro state constituency.
He said the Pas Syura council had decided to field its Sarawak Pas secretary Mohammad Arifiriazul Paijo to contest in Beting Maro.
"After taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation in the country, which still poses a major risk (to the people) as well as other factors such as efforts to revive the economy, and our relations at the federal-level with other parties, including Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Pas has decided to only contest in the Beting Maro state seat in the 12th Sarawak election," he told reporters here today.
During the previous state election in 2016, Pas contested in at least 11 state seats including Beting Maro. They did not win any seat.
Tuan Ibrahim added that among other factors that resulted the party to come to such decision included the limited number of people with the party's election machinery allowed to enter Sarawak from outside the state.
"Other factors included the situation related to the campaign process for the Sarawak election which will be limited as well as the limited social media (Internet coverage issue) here." he said.
Tuan Ibrahim hoped the Election Commission (EC) would introduced a more relaxed standard operating procedures during the campaign period for the Sarawak election.
"We hope the EC would consider allowing candidates to carry out door-to-door campaign while strictly complying with the SOP," he said.