Sidang awal DUN Sarawak bukan petanda PRN awal, kata Abdul Karim

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leader Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has dismissed speculation that the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) might convene in October, rather than November. According to Hamzah, the rumor about a potential shift in the DUN session date from November to October is not based on factual evidence.

He explained that traditionally, the DUN session occurs in November; however, this year, it may be held in October following the announcement of the 2027 Federal Budget in Parliament. Hamzah emphasized that any early DUN session in Sarawak is subject to the absolute discretion of the State's Chief Minister, Abang Johari Openg. He stressed that such a move, if made, would likely be due to specific circumstances.

Meanwhile, Hamzah noted that the approval process for the additional 17 seats, as approved by the DUN, is facing some challenges due to the time required for recalculations. He stated that the timeline for this process is currently tight, as the Election Affairs Advisory Council (SPR) needs to present alternative electoral options at least three months before the next step can be taken.

Given the technicalities, Hamzah believes that the process is challenging and may not be feasible within the current timeframe, as it would require at least three months for the SPR to present the alternatives. Consequently, the next Sarawak State Legislative Assembly election, which will have 99 seats approved by the DUN in July last year, may have to be postponed further to mid-April 2027.