Kota Kinabalu: The imminent general election will see 1,638,806 Malaysians in Sabah able to cast their vote – a whopping increase of 574,120 new voters (53.9pc) over the last election four years ago when1,064,686 were eligible.
A study of the Election Commission statistics reveal that the bulk of the increase were not due to Undi18 but happened between 2018 and 2020. The Undi 18 which enabled 18-year-olds to vote only came into effect after parliament approved the motion last December.
Sabah was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic from March 2020 until recently, whose prolonged lockdowns (MCOs) would have rendered new voter registration virtually impossible.
The voting outcome may have a great impact on who forms the Federal Government in a tightly contested race.
Ironically, it is in the interior areas that some of the biggest increases happened. Pensiangan, Sepanggar and Kota Marudu are three parliamentary constituencies with the most number of new voters compared to GE14 on May 9, 2018.
All saw an average of more than 70 per cent increase in voters – not known to have occurred in Sabah in past elections.
No reasons were also available as to why and how this could have happened. Five constituencies – Tuaran, Putatan, Ranau, Beluran and Kinabatangan – also recorded more than 50 per cent increase in new voters.
During GE14, Pensiangan which is in the interior and not easily inaccessible was won by BN’s Datuk Arthur Kurup.
It had 31,377 registered voters but this time round, it had 55,453 voters – an increase of 76.7 per cent with 24,076 new voters while Sepanggar had 45,048 new voters, representing an increase of 72.1 per cent.
In GE14, Sepanggar had 62,415 voters while in the coming general election 107,463 would be eligible to vote, making it the only constituency in Sabah with more than 100,000 voters.
The incumbent is Warisan’s Datuk Azis Jamman, the former Deputy Home Minister.
Kota Marudu, which was won by PBS President Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili in GE14, saw an increase of 33,470 new voters (71.2pc).
It had 47,007 voters in GE14 but now has 80,477 would be eligible to vote or nearly double.
The Keningau constituency also saw a significant increase in new voters. In the last election, 51,177 were registered compared to the 87,371.
But now, there is a sudden increase of 70.7 per cent or 36,194 new voters. The incumbent is Star Sabah President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Two constituencies – Lahad Datu and Kalabakan - also witnessed more than 60 per cent increase in number of new voters.
In GE14, Lahad Datu had 60,942 voters compared to 99,741 now, an increase of 38,799 new voters (63.6pc).
Kalabakan, won by Warisan’s Ma’mun Sulaiman, previously had 52,199 voters but 83,657 would be able to vote in GE15, an increase of 31,458 new voters (60.2pc).
Tuaran, whose incumbent is Upko President Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau, saw an increase of 28,991 new voters (53.6pc) where 82,991 would be eligible to vote compared to 54,000 the last election.
Putatan saw an increase of 21,705 new voters or an increase of 52.5 per cent and this time round 63,017 would be eligible to vote compared to 41,312 in GE14.
Ranau also suddenly has a 51.8 per cent increase in new voters with 66,349 eligible to vote now compared to only 43,706 in GE14, an increase of 22,643 new voters.
The incumbent is Datuk Jonathan Yasin who won the seat on a PKR ticket but is now with Bersatu.
Beluran now has 44,523 voters compared to 28,509 in 2018, an increase of 16,014 new voters (56.1pc).
The seat was won by Datuk Ronald Kiandee on a BN ticket but is now with Bersatu while Kinabatangan (Datuk Bung Moktar Radin/BN) saw an increase of 15,834 new voters (55.1pc) from 28,730 to 44,564 voters.
The Beaufort seat had the least number of new voters with 9,876 (29.6pc). The incumbent is Datuk Azizah Dun who also won on a BN ticket but crossed over to Bersatu.
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