GPS to name Sarawak polls candidates on Dec 4

PETALING JAYA: Sarawak’s ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will announce its candidates for the 12th state elections on Dec 4.

GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg told Utusan Malaysia the coalition did not have any problems with Dec 18 set as the polling day as it had expected the elections to take place before Christmas.

Abang Johari, who is also the chief minister, said GPS would need to streamline its preparations for the polls.

The election date was announced by the Election Commission (EC) today, with Dec 6 fixed for nominations.

The EC said it had appointed 82 election officers, assisted by 249 assistant officers, for the polls.

It will also set up 155 campaign teams, comprising EC enforcement officers and representatives from the police, local councils and contesting parties, to monitor activities throughout the campaign period.

However, it did not elaborate on the health and safety SOPs that will be put in place during the election period.

In the recently concluded Melaka elections, no public gatherings or ceramahs were allowed.

A total of 1,252,014 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the Sarawak polls.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong announced the end of the state of emergency in Sarawak on Nov 3, paving the way for the elections that had been due since June when the state assembly was set to automatically dissolve. — Free Malaysia Today