EMERGENCY DECLARED IN BATU SAPI A COMMENDABLE DECISION - CM

18 NOV 2020

KOTA KINABALU: The state government fully supported the King’s decision to declare an emergency in effect canceling the by-election in Batu Sapi.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah made the proclamation after granting an audience with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at Istana Negara on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor described it as a wise decision considering the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic continued to threaten the people's health and well-being in Sabah.

"The need to stop the spread of the virus and protect the health of the people is of paramount importance," he said commenting on the Istana Negara announcement.

Hajiji assured that the State Government through the Sabah Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee was working together relentlessly with the relevant authorities to contain the pandemic in Sabah.

In a statement earlier, Comptroller of the Royal Household Dato' Indera Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the King made the decision to avoid a fourth wave of Covid-19 outbreaks, with another date for the by-election to be set later on.

The Batu Sapi parliamentary seat was declared vacant following the death of its MP Datuk Liew Vui Keong of Parti Warisan Sabah on Oct 2 due to a lung infection.

The Election Commission then declared Nov 23 as nomination day, set Dec 1 for early polls and Dec 5 for the by-election.