Early S’wak state assembly sitting no indication of early polls, says Karim

PBB information chief Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has stated that the initial state legislative assembly session in Sarawak does not indicate any plans for early polls. In a recent interview, Karim dismissed rumors suggesting that the next Sarawak state election could take place in November, based on the possibility of the state legislative assembly sitting being moved to October.

He clarified that the current plan is for the sitting to occur in November, but it may be shifted to October following the 2027 federal budget announcement in Parliament. Karim emphasized that the decision to hold the state assembly sitting earlier lies solely with the premier, Abang Johari Openg. If the sitting were brought forward, it would likely be due to specific reasons.

Karim also highlighted the challenges in holding the state election with the additional 17 seats approved by the state legislative assembly in July last year. The process of delineation approval is currently tight, requiring at least three months for the proposed electoral boundaries to be displayed by the Election Commission. This tight timeline may not be sufficient for the next Sarawak election, which must be held by mid-April 2027.