Early assembly sitting not a sign of snap polls, says Karim

PBB leader Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has quashed rumors suggesting the upcoming Sarawak state election might be held in November. The speculation stems from the possibility of bringing forward the Sarawak state legislative assembly sitting from November to October. According to Hamzah, this change is not indicative of an early election.

The assembly typically convenes in November, but this year, it may occur in October following the 2027 federal budget announcement in Parliament. As the head of the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Karim emphasized that the decision to hold the state legislative assembly sitting early lies entirely with the premier, Abang Johari Openg.

He reiterated that such a move is at the sole discretion of the premier. However, Karim cautioned that conducting the state election with the additional 17 seats, as voted for by the state legislative assembly last July, could present challenges due to the time needed for delineation approval. The process of displaying proposed electoral boundaries is expected to take at least three months, potentially making it difficult to hold the election with the 99 seats approved last July. The Sarawak state election must be held by mid-April 2027 at the latest.