A Sarawak academician has suggested that the media in the state stop speculating on the dates of the coming state election but concentrate on other more pertinent issues instead.

The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) senior lecturer, who declined to be named, said there was no reason for Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud to hold elections this year when its term is only up in September next year.

So perhaps, the media would be better off discussing issues such as native customary land rights, corruption among state politicians and within the civil service, Bakun, the over-inflated house prices and rental rates, the utter lack of public transport and other issues, he said.

On how he thought the BN component parties would fare, he believed they would do all well given the huge resources at their disposal and a disorganised opposition.