The Election Commission meets to finalise key dates for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections, required within 60 days.
PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) convened a special meeting today to finalise arrangements for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections in Sabah.
Chaired by EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun, the meeting at Menara SPR aimed to determine critical dates including the writ of election, nomination day, and polling day.
ALSO READ: Bung Moktar’s son declines to run for Lamag state seat
The commission also confirmed the electoral roll to be used and addressed other logistical preparations for the polls.
EC deputy chairman Dr Azmi Sharom and secretary Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus were also present at the 10 am meeting.
A press conference is scheduled for this afternoon to announce the commission’s decisions.
The EC received official notification of the vacancies from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul and Sabah State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M. Yahya on December 9.
The vacancies were created following the death of incumbent Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin on December 5.
Article 54 Clause (1) of the Federal Constitution and Article 21 (5) of the Sabah State Constitution mandate that the unexpected vacancies must be filled within 60 days from the date the EC confirms them.
Bung Moktar, 66, passed away at a hospital in Sabah in the early hours of December 5.
His death came less than a week after he was re-elected as the Lamag state assemblyman for a second term.
In the November 29 state election, the late Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman defended the Lamag seat with a 153-vote majority in a six-cornered contest.
Bung Moktar began his national political career as Kinabatangan MP after winning the seat in the 1999 general election.
He served as the Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan for six consecutive terms until his passing. – Bernama