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THE first two ballot boxes for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election arrived at the official counting centre in Dewan Sri Lamag at 3pm today, coming from Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Inarad, one of the constituency’s more remote polling stations. The school hosts two voting streams, which closed at noon.
The boxes were transported by helicopter, with SK Inarad’s Chief Presiding Officer, Ronny @ Sior Bataim, accompanied by Election Commission officials, overseeing the journey.
Upon landing at the Kinabatangan District Council field, police escorted the boxes to Dewan Sri Lamag for official counting.
All 36 polling stations across the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state seats, comprising 117 voting streams, opened at 7.30 am today, enabling 48,282 registered voters to cast their ballots. Polling stations closed in phases, with the last closure at 5.30 pm.
The parliamentary by-election features a three-way contest between Barisan Nasional candidate Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar, Warisan candidate Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman, and independent Goldam Hamid. In the Lamag state seat, voters will choose between BN’s Mohd Ismail Ayob and Warisan’s Mazliwati Abdul Malek. Both polls follow the passing of incumbent Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, aged 66, on 5 December last year.
According to the Election Commission, as of 3 pm, 50.37 per cent of registered voters in Kinabatangan, or 24,322 individuals, had cast their votes.
By district, Lamag state constituency recorded the highest turnout at 55.16 per cent, followed by Sukau at 51.27 per cent, and Kuamut at 46.02 per cent.
Among the early voters was 43-year-old Najib Mohd Yang, who cast his vote at SK Bilit in attire inspired by the traditional dress of the Orang Sungai Buludupi community.
The by-election is being closely watched as a key political contest in Sabah, with logistical challenges such as remote polling stations necessitating innovative solutions like helicopter transport to ensure all votes are securely delivered and counted. - January 24, 2026