KINABATANGAN, Jan 10 — Returning Officer Eddy Syaizul Rizam Abdullah announced the closure of the nomination centre for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections at Dewan Sri Lamag at 10 am, one hour after it opened this morning.
Earlier, supporters of the contesting candidates had arrived at the nomination centre as early as 6.30 am, with fine weather prevailing throughout the process.
Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates, Mohd Naim Kurniawan Moktar (Kinabatangan) and Mohd Ismail Ayob (Lamag), arrived at 8.10 am.
They were accompanied by UMNO Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan, Sabah BN chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin, and UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.
Parti Warisan’s nominees, former Sukau assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman for Kinabatangan and party Supreme Council member Mazliwati Abdul Malek for Lamag, arrived just before the closing time at 8.59 am, escorted by vice-president Datuk Jaujan Sambakong, supporters and nominators.
Meanwhile, independent candidate Goldam Hamid arrived at 7.17 am, accompanied by his supporters and nominators.
The Kinabatangan and Lamag by-elections were called following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, on Dec 5 last year.
Bung Moktar, 66, had held both seats, having retained Kinabatangan in the 15th General Election with a 4,330-vote majority, defeating Warisan’s Mazliwati Abdul Malek.
The former Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman also defended the Lamag state seat with a 153-vote majority in a six-cornered contest in the 17th Sabah State Election on Nov 29 last year.
The Election Commission has scheduled polling for Jan 24, with early voting on Jan 20. A total of 48,722 registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots, comprising 48,526 ordinary voters and 196 police personnel and their spouses.
Voting will take place across 36 polling centres with 117 streams and one early voting centre. — Bernama
