Emergency declared in Gerik and Bugaya, by-polls postponed

PETALING JAYA: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has declared a state of emergency for Gerik in Perak and Bugaya in Sabah.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, in a statement today, said this was to postpone the by-elections for the two constituencies, initially scheduled for Jan 16, 2021.

Muhyiddin said the King had consented to the declaration after he was satisfied there was a need for it under Article 150 of the Federal Constitution. The new dates for the by-elections will be announced later, he added.

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In advising the King, Muhyiddin said the Cabinet ministers had on Dec 4 discussed in detail the consequences of holding by-elections at a time when the number of Covid-19 cases was still on the rise.

“Learning from the Covid-19 outbreak following the Sabah state elections before this, the Cabinet felt that both by-elections must be avoided because of threats to public health, economic lives and public order,” he said.

Meanwhile, Election Commission (EC) chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh said any work that has commenced for by-elections at Gerik and Bugaya would be suspended. He said another date would be set for the two by-elections.

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De facto law minister Takiyuddin Hassan had said previously that the government was considering advising the King to declare an emergency in Gerik and Bugaya to postpone the by-elections.

He said this was based on the risk assessment by the health ministry and the National Security Council (MKN) of the Covid-19 situation.

The King has already consented to a state of emergency in Batu Sapi, Sabah, to postpone the by-election there. The by-election there had been scheduled for Dec 5.