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BN retains two-thirds, SUPP boss defeated
Published:  Apr 16, 2011 1:56 PM
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Updated: Apr 18, 2011 5:30 AM

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LIVE REPORTS

Photo Gallery

Video: Victory celebration in Kuching | 1.12min

12.13am: Miri Still at Miri Indoor Stadium, the tally center for Senadin, PKR has decided to lodge a police report over the returning officer’s (RO) refusal to entertain requests for a recount.

NONE In addition, PKR will file a petition with the EC soon after discussing with their lawyers, over the incident at SK Kuala Baram 2 polling centre earlier today where the RO had been photographed allegedly allowing SUPP members to distribute leaflets inside the hall.

Tian Chua is speaking to their 100 to 200 supporters, who are still gathered at the centre while the FRU remains on standby.

11.17pm: PKR Nr 2 Azmin Ali tweets, " BN Sarawak's popular vote has slumped badly from 62.93 percent kepada 55.24 percent . Congratulations Sarawakians," he says.

NONE 11.10pm: Miri At Miri Indoor Stadium the police is engaged in a scuffle with Elizabeth Wong's assistant.

She tries to help him but the cops haul him off in a police car.

11.00pm: Sibu Some 500 DAP supporters and voters patiently await four DAP candidates’ return to the operations centre.

The crowd greets them warmly with cheers and DAP slogans. They have been waiting in the streets along Rejang Park for five hours.

NONE Newly-elected Bukit Assek assembleperson Wong Ho Leng leads his team to express appreciation to the supporters.

Wong says Bawang Assan candidate Alice Lau was defeated but not in spirit, and will continue to work hard.

After the speech the four candidates are treated like movie stars as supporters jostle to take photographs with them.

With Wong and Lau are newly elected Pelawan assemblyperson David Wong and Dudong assemblyperson Yap Hoi Liong.

10.50pm: Kuching Lim Guan Eng is addressing some 200 supporters outside the Kuching DAP headquarters.

"This is a very, very historical day for Sarawak," said Lim.

Lim is flanked by Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Fong Kui Lun, Tony Pua and the four victorious DAP candidates. 

NONE 10.35pm: Kuching Abdul Taib Mahmud sworn in as chief minister of Sarawak to serve his seventh term at the Astana, the official residence of the Yang Di Pertua Negeri Sarawak Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng.

10.34pm: Sibu-newly elected DAP Dudong state assemblyperson Yap Hoi Liong, who won with a slim majority of 317 votes, has attributed his victory to successful attempts in stopping vote-buying in a number of Dayak settlement areas.

"If not for this reason, I would have lost the seat," he tells Malaysiakini .

Yap says his team had monitored a number of areas which have some 2,000 to 3,000 voters.

"The other reason is the voter turnout, which has increased to 74.17%," he says. According to him, many voters have returned from outstanding to cast their votes.

10.30pm: Miri SUPP's Lee Kim Shing and his supporters are forced to flee Miri Indoor Stadium due to the protests outside.

50 FRU members show up outside the hall to control the crowd.

Inside, Tian Chua, PKR candidate Michael Teo, and other PKR members have been arguing with the returning officer for almost 50 minutes.

“Do you get your instructions from SUPP?” they ask.

  Contested

Won PBB  35  35 SUPP  19  6 PRS  9

 8

SPDP  8

 6

. DAP  15  12 PKR  49  3 PAS  5  0 . PCM  6  0 SNAP  26  0 IND  41  1

< 10.30pm: Sibu About 200 DAP supporters are still gathered in front of the party operations centre in Bukit Assek, transfixed to screens showing the official results of the Sarawak polls.

Like football fans, they cheer every time the results favoured Pakatan Rakyat.

The party is also rousing the crowd and keeping them entertained, playing the Sarawak anthem "Ibu Pertiwiku" sporadically.

The party leaders and candidates have yet to arrive though.

10.19pm: Miri Selangor exco Elizabeth Wong tweets that the crowd gathered outside Miri Indoor Stadium is booing the SUPP Senadin winner Lee Kim Shing, and shouting “penipu” (cheat). The police orders the large crowd to disperse as they have no permit to gather there.

They crowds are demanding a recount for Senadin , where PKR has lost by 58 votes.

NONE 10.17pm: On the spot analysis DAP has hit BN Sarawak the hardest, doubling its seats in this election, and indicates Sarawak politics will get hotter from here on.

PKR has also gained two extra seats, notably Krian clinching a surprise win.

Krian winner Ali Biju, 43 and single, is a self-made businessman in the oil and gas industry based in Bintulu.

PKR attributes Biju’s win to several factors:

  • NONE He's a young, popular local boy and businessman who has never been a politician. He is good looking and everyone knows him. When he arrived in his four-wheel drive to announce his candidacy the locals cheered him.
  • Despite not knowing that he would run for the seat, he has been doing groundwork for PKR in Krian for the past year.
  • Krian is also a semi-urban area, where the internet connection is good and the people keep up to date with the latest news, so they have “felt the waves of the tsunami” says PKR.
12.39am: On the spot analysis Islamist party PAS's spectacular defeat can be evaluated over possible factors.

1. Poor campaign machinery

The peninsular campaigners failed to understand the ground sentiment in Sarawak. For one, they misread the warm reception in the rural areas as a show of voter support, when it is just part of the resident’s courtesy to any visitor.

2. Late campaign

PAS left the selection of candidate to the last minute and was slow off the gun. It is understood their prime candidate Abang Ahmad Kerdee Ahmad Abang Masagus was confirmed the night before nominations.

And although they have been in the state for nearly a decade, they seem to have focussed more on the missionary than the political agenda.

3. Overconfidence

On nomination day, with the star reception of their candidate Ahmad Kerdee PAS seems to have taken their opponents too lightly. Their complacency is bolstered by reports of discontent amongst the electorate over the incumbents.

4. PAS no match for BN Sarawak

Apart from Beting Maro and Sadong Jaya, PAS lost to BN with huge margins of 2,000 to 4,000, an impossible gap to close.

Furthermore, BN has held huge majorities in the seats tackled by PAS, since 1963.

5. Malay loyalty

PAS also failed to take into account the loyalty of the Malays and Melanaus who are mainly civil servants, to the BN, and the fear amongst the Malays of having a Dayak Christian like Baru Bian as Pakatan’s choice for chief minister.

10pm: The Kuching South City Council (MBKS) erupts in jubilation when the candidates for Pending, Batu Lintang and Padungan were announced as victors.

About 400 people, waving flags and mostly donning red, boisterously chant “Ubah” and “Vote DAP” while reaching over a metal barrier to ‘high five’ the three candidates.

Fanning the euphoria is endless gusts of wind that lead many reporters to remark that the "winds of change" is blowing.

After the DAP candidates and party leaders leave the venue the crowds disperse.

Some regroup in front of the DAP headquarters nearby, where they are addressed by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

"This is a very, very historical day for Sarawak," he says

10pm: On the spot analysis In Belaga, home of the controversial Bakun dam, BN sees a massive jump in votes.

In 2006, voter turnout was 4,469, with BN winning by a 227 majority.

With the present turnout 5,913, BN’s majority has bloated to a massive 2,928.

This is a stark contrast to the other seats where there appears to be a trend of small reductions in BN’s winning majority.

In particular, some of the Dayak seats observed has seen BN’s majority shrinking below 1,000.

10pm Miri: The slim majority for Senadin has caused a fierce argument between PKR members and the returning officer Chai Kohet at Miri Indoor Stadium.

The party is unhappy with the officer's refusal to do a recount.

NONE Earlier as the returning officer prepares to go on stage to announce BN’s Lee Kim Shing as the winner, PKR vice-president Tian Chua demands a recount to be done.

The officer however refuses the repeated requests and turns to the stage for his announcement.

This angers the PKR members, who move forward to protest.

"We want a recount," shouts Chua.

Another angry female member Chua Yee Ling, who is the Hulu Selangor councillor, also shouts, "are you a SUPP member? You are returning officer."

The police move in to stop them from approaching the stage. One who manages to mount the stage is sent off by the police.

The returning officer continues to make his announcement while the police engage in some pushing with the PKR members.

PKR members continue to protest after SUPP’s Lee Kim Shing is announced the winner and his party celebrates victory.

9.40pm: Sibu The retallying of total votes for the Dudong seat is completed and DAP candidate Yap Hoi Liong is officially the winner with a 317 vote majority.

Yap’s family congratulates him.

The voter turnout for Dudong is 74.17 percent. 

9.20pm: Senadin Although the full result for Senadin has been keyed into the system and BN has won by a 58 vote majority according to the screen, the returning officer has not announced the official results for the seat yet.

NONE As the winning margin is under 2 percent PKR vice president Tian Chua, who is at the tally centre, says he will ask for a recount despite the law having been amended to limit recounts to the stream level.

He raised a few contentious issues, particularly that one of the streams has as much as 85 spoilt votes; extraordinary high compared to the total spoilt votes of 183.

He adds that the postal votes is the main reason for their defeat, with BN getting 1,134 to PKR’s 58 postal votes.

8.58pm: Senadin PKR has lost by 58 votes, and say the main reason is the 1,090 postal votes that has gone to BN.

8.54pm: Expected final tally of seats:

BN: 55

DAP: 12

PKR: 3

Independent: 1

8.45pm: Sibu Bawang Assan candidate and newly-minted assemblyperson Wong Soon Koh from SUPP is booed as he emerges from the tallying centre, after being pronounced as the winner.

The party secretary-general is faced with about 1,500 angry DAP supporters who shout at him to "step down", amidst allegations of vote-buying by his DAP contender Alice Lau.

He, along with his entourage of 20 SUPP members is forced to flee the tallying centre in Dewan Suarah Sibu with four police cars escorting them.

The DAP supporters disperse shortly after.

8.23pm: Both DAP and PKR win all five seats in Kuching.

On the spot analysis SUPP completely rejected in Kuching. Batu Kawah won with help of bumiputera voters, which shows DAP can

win some support beyond Chinese voters.

8.17 pm: PKR's Michael Teo Yu Meng has lost Senadin by 61 votes, due to the 1,000 postal votes that has gone to BN.

He went up against SUPP's Lee Kim Shin and PKR's Michael Teo Yu Keng. It's a mix-Chinese-Malay/Melanau-Iban seat.

8.17 pm: Dudong DAP Dudong candidate Yap Hoi Liong and Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong arrive at SJK Thai Kwang, where 150 supporters have gathered at the school.

Liew Chin Tong pacifies the anxious crowd, said that power supply had resumed, and BN-SUPP candidate Tiong Thai King has conceded defeat.

NONE “It shouldn't be any problem,” Liew tells the worried crowd.

The crowd cheers at the unofficial victory of Yap, and shouts the DAP and rocket slogans.

The sudden huge crowd alarms the police, and 30 personnel and 10 light strike force members appear at the polling centre's main entrance.

Yap also arranges for his family members and some supporters to go into the polling centre to make sure everything is okay.

SJK Thai Kwang serves as the polling centre for the Dudong constituency.

8.12pm: On the spot analysis The most Pakatan Rakyat can win at this point is 18 seats (DAP 12, PKR 6). But at this point, it's more likely to be 15 seats (DAP 12, PKR 3).

8.04pm: DAP is expected to win all four Chinese-majority seats it contested in Kuching:

Padungan

: DAP (11,956), BN (4,076), majority 7,880

Pending

: DAP (13,557), BN (6,469), majority 7,088

Kota Sentosa : DAP (12,594), BN (7,770), majority 4,824

Batu Kawah : DAP (6,568), BN (5,744), majority 824  

NONE 8pm: In Miri George Chan (right) concedes defeat. “I respect the decision by the people, this is part of democracy,” he says at the tally centre.

When asked if the anti-Taib sentiment is the main factor for his loss, he says, "I don't want to comment."

7.56pm: Dudong Through loudspeakers, Dudong DAP workers urge the people to head to the counting centre in the Dudong area. As electricity has been cut off, they urge the public to go there to protect the the ballot boxes.

The announcement stirs the mood of the crowd.

A local reporter said that the incident took place at 7.45pm, but power came back 10 minutes later.

DAP supporters still rush there in 20 cars to protect the ballots.

The incident happened amidst the anxiety of the crowd who place their hopes for DAP to win the seat.

NONE 7.55pm: Sibu DAP candidate for Bawang Assan Alice Lau ( right in picture ) concedes defeat at the DAP operations centre.

Wiping away the tears that are streaming her cheeks with a purple handkerchief, she cries even more as the crowd cheers her for putting in a good effort.

“I am happy for my party but I am upset because of the dirty tactics.

“I believe that the voters can see my hard work.

“I lost not to Wong Soon Koh (SUPP candidate and party secretary-general), but I lost to money politics,” she tells Malaysiakini .

7.47pm: In Belaga PKR’s efforts are not enough to clinch a win despite burgeoning local issues such as the Bakun dam.

PRS: 3,974

PKR: 1,046

SNAP: 368

Ind: 27

Ind: 94

Ind: 330

Spoilt: 74

Majority: 2,928

7.35pm: Another SUPP strongman Tiong Thai King, younger brother of timber tycoon Hiew King, has lost in Dudong to DAP's Yap Hoi Liong by 1,059 votes.

He concedes defeat when met at the SUPP headquarters in Sibu.

"Lost already. Don't want to say anything," he says.

Results:

DAP: 9,617

BN: 8,558.

Majority: 1,059 votes

7.30pm: On the spot analysis - Pakatan has failed to deny BN two-thirds majority.

As expected there is substantial swing to the opposition among the Chinese. But the small swing among the Iban majority is not significant enough for PKR to pick up some of the rural seats it contested. 

7.30pm: Sibu The crowd at the DAP operations centre has now increased to 500. The people are now paying attention to the Dudong seat result.

DAP is putting its hope on a win in Dudong, to increase one more seat for DAP to make its tally 12 seats.

The screen shows DAP Dudong candidate Yap Hoi Liong is leading with a majority of 268.

7.29pm: In Piasau the EC’s unofficial tally is as follows, with several streams to go:   

DAP Ling Sie Kiong: 5,206

SUPP George Chan: 3,629

Majority: 1,577

Spoiled: 63

7.20pm: DAP leading strongly in three of the four Chinese-majority seats in Kuching:

Padungan

: DAP (9,193), BN (2,603), majority 6,590

Pending : DAP (8,232), BN (3,479), majority 4,753

Kota Sentosa : DAP (8,656), BN (5,839), majority 2,817

Batu Kawah : DAP (832), BN (1,398), majority 566

7.15pm: Sibu Dudong candidate for SUPP and party vice-chairperson Tiong Thai King has conceded defeat.

“Lost already. Don't want to say anything already,” he says when met at the SUPP HQ here.

When asked if he would ask for a recount, he says: “No, lah.”

7.12pm: In Sibu SUPP HQ it is reported that party workers are whispering that Dudong candidate and party strongman Tiong Thai King has lost by about 200 votes.

NONE 7.08pm: Piasau DAP's Ling Sie Kiong (left) is the giant killer in this state election. It is confirmed that he has defeated SUPP boss Dr George Chan - the fourth party leader to suffer a loss after the defeat of the MIC, Gerakan and PPP party chiefs.

Piasau

Ling Sie Kiong (DAP): 5,770

Dr George Chan (SUPP): 4,162

Majority: 1,608

Two ballot boxes yet to be opened, but it is almost certain that Chan will not be able to reverse the outcome.

Other DAP results:

Pujut

DAP: 4,873

SUPP: 2,748

Majority: 2,125

7pm: Batu Kawah Controversy erupts in Batu Kawah at two polling centres where DAP has won, with the Borang 14 refused to party scrutineers while the ballot boxes have been removed from the counting centre.

"We are contacting the returning officer, and the candidate is lodging a police report," says Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen.

About a hundred party supporters are gathered at the Kuching DAP headquarters where live results are being projected on screens on the street.

7.07pm: Unofficial results have Pelagus Independent George Lagong winning the interior seat, beating PRS’ Stanley Nyitar and PKR’s Edward Sumbang.

7.03pm: In Engkilili , BN retains the Iban-majority seat with the unofficially results although a few streams have not been opened.

BN: 4,081

PKR: 987

Snap: 157

Ind: 319

                           

6.55pm: In Iban-majority Batang Ai PKR has lost to PRS' Malcom Mussen Lamoh with a bigger majority compared to the last state polls, according to a PKR source. The final majority may exceed 2,000.

PKR candidate Nicholas Bawin is a heavyweight in the state leadership and the state election director.

6.54pm: According to sources, BN is confident of winning 52 seats, five seats more than two-thirds majority. This leaves Pakatan Rakyat with 19 seats.

This is a projection based on current vote tally.  

6.51pm: Kuching People are slowly turning up at the chief minister's official residence to await the results.

At the PKR headquarters, a tent and big screen is being set up.

6.50pm: Miri with DAP leading in both Piasau and Pujut, the party operations room is now full of celebration.

Anthony Loke has also tweeted that DAP is now leading by 1,277 votes in Piasau with seven streams to go.

"Major upset is on the way!" he says.

penans meet suhakam 130208 see chee how 6.53pm: PKR has claimed victory in Batu Lintang , a Chinese-majority seat in Kuching. Lawyer See Chee How ( right ) wins the seat with a 2,426 majority.

6.44pm: DAP’s Ling Sie Kiong could be the giant killer in this state election. After about half of the votes have been counted, he is leading SUPP boss Dr George Chan by a sizeable margin.

DAP Ling Sie Kiong: 4,384

SUPP George Chan: 2,873

Majority: 1,511

6.30pm: Of the 15 seats contested by DAP, it is set to win 10, with three still up for grabs. It is defeated in two ( Bawang Assan and Bukit Kota )

DAP is leading in Piasau , which is held by SUPP chief Dr George Chan.

DAP: 4,486

SUPP: 3,209

Majority: 1,277

Other DAP results as follows:

Kota Sentosa

SUPP: 3,408

DAP: 1,497

Majority 1,921

Postal votes has contributed to SUPP win.

Pending

DAP: 558

SUPP: 348

Majority: 210

Padungan     

DAP: 2,001

SUPP: 695

Majority: 1,306

6.30pm: Sibu DAP prepares two giant screens for the public to know the unofficial results of 15 seats contested by DAP.

A crowd of over 200 DAP supporters are gathering to watch the results.

The crowd passionately cheer and clap hand every time the results show a leap for DAP candidates.

The screen shows DAP is leading in 10 seats, while losing in four seats.

So far ,only the results for Simanggang has yet to appear.

DAP Bukit Assek candidate Wong Ho Leng is leading by a majority of 5,752 votes, where Wong has obtained 8,649, while BN-SUPP candidate Chieng Buong Toon only has 2,897 votes.

Wong won Bukit Assek with 5,629 votes back in the 2006 state election. 

6.22pm: Sibu SUPP candidate for Bawang Assan and deputy minister Wong Soon Koh has unofficially retained his seat with a 1,810-majority, without counting the postal ballots yet.

When met at the SUPP HQ in Sibu, he says he owes his win to his 28-member bumiputera committee.

"They're the ones who really went all out," he said.

His majority, unofficially, has actually more than doubled since the last parliamentary by-election when BN won with a majority of 805 votes.

"It increased because I went to the ground. In fact since the defeat of the last by-election, I was on the ground all the while and I visited longhouses repeatedly," he said.

When asked about DAP's campaigning among the Chinese voters, he says, "My conscience is clear. No matter how they smear my name with baseless accusations, slander and mischievous allegations, my conscience is clear. It's service above self." 

6.20pm: Sibu DAP Sarawak chief and Bukit Assek candidate Wong Ho Leng tells Malaysiakini that looking at the unofficial results, DAP might have lost four seats out of 15 seats contested: Simanggang , Dudong , Bawang Assan and Bukit Kota

He is spotted watching the unofficial result on a giant screen at the Sibu DAP operations centre .

6.17pm: SUPP has retained Bawang Assan with a 1,850-vote majority. The seat is held by Sibu party boss Wong Soon Koh, who ran against Alice Lau. There are still four ballot boxes yet to be opened.

6.13pm: Unofficial: PAS has lost all five seats which it has contested - Tanjung Datu , Muara Tuang , Sadong Jaya , Sebuyau and Beting Maro .

NONE Beting Maro PAS candidate Abang Ahmad Kerdee Ahmad Masagus admits defeat saying, “Although we’ve lost, the Chinese and Iban communities have given us their full support this time around.”

“Only in Beladin we lost over a thousand votes. I am acceptable to this defeat,” he says.

When asked if he was satisfied, he says, “Maybe our strategy is lacking, or we have overlooked certain areas. I think this is fated.

“I will continue to serve the residents of Beting Maro as usual,” he says.

He denies when asked, that they were over-confident, saying they lost out to BN’s last minute strategy of giving out goodies.

“Two days before the polls, BN gave out bicycles and rice. They also promised to move the land office to Beladin,” he says.

6.05pm: Sibu The mood at the SUPP HQ in Sibu turns celebratory after a nail-biting wait for the Bawang Assan unofficial results.

Everyone starts clapping when it was announced that they have retained Bawang Assan with a majority of about 1,850 votes, with only four ballot boxes unopened.

6.04pm: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng says DAP appears to have retained Chinese-majority Meradong and on course to wrest Chinese-majority Repok from SUPP (both in Sarikei), but has lost in Bukit Kota , a racially-mixed seat in Limbang which is contested by DAP for the first time.

5.54pm : In Piasau SUPP’s George Chan trails with 428 to DAP Ling Sie Kiong’s 680. In Kidurong SUPP’s Henry Ling Koung Meng leads with 824 to DAP Chiew Chiu Sing’s 530.

5.46pm: According to sources, BN has retained Balingian , Beting Maro , Belaga , Saribas , while it is leading in Ngemah , Jepak , Katibas , and Bawang Assan .

5.44pm: DAP’s unofficial results show them trailing in Bawang Assan and Dudong, and leading in Bukit Assek (candidate Wong Ho Leng) and Meradong.

Bawang Assan

SUPP Wong Soon Koh: 2,723

DAP Alice Lau: 1,161

Majority: 1,562

Dudong

SUPP Tiong Thai King: 2,862

DAP Yap Hoi Liang: 2,082

Majority: 780

Bukit Assek

DAP Wong Ho Leng: 301

SUPP Chieng Boon Tuong: 265

Majority: 36

Meradong

DAP Ting Tze Fui: 1,969

SUPP Ling Kie King: 1,170

Majority: 799         

5.32pm: Campaign manager Paul Bian confirms that his lawyer brother Baru Bian has won the Ba'Kelalan in his second attempt for this remote constituency which borders Indonesia’s Kalimantan.

Unofficial tally so far shows that the Sarawak PKR leader is leading with slightly over 540 votes and he is still waiting for the last polling district - which has only some 100 votes - to be counted.

5.27pm: Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud is leading in his home turf of Balingian . With five polling stations counted, he has a majority of 641 votes.

He is challenged by his cousin, former deputy minister Salleh Jafaruddin, who is running as an independent, and businesswoman Suriati Abdullah from PKR.

5.20pm: Unofficial PAS results for seats they are contesting as follows:

Sebuyau

BN: 1,928

PAS: 719

Ind: 44

Tanjong Datu

BN: 954

PAS: 223

Ind: 50

Sadong Jaya

BN: 2,516                    

PAS: 681

Ind: 327

Muara Tuang

BN: 1,580

PAS: 575

Beting Maro

BN: 2,804

PAS: 2,231

5.05pm: Beting Maro The atmosphere at the PAS operations room at Kg Kalok near Pusa is like fans watching a football match. About 30 supporters cheer and shout 'God is Great' each time a new result favouring them is announced.

PAS was heavily trounced in the Beladin voting stream but it still has hopes for a miracle in the Undai and Pusa streams.

5pm: Polling closes in all areas and counting begins. 

According to Bernama , all 1,748 polling centres are closed, with counting in interior constituencies with a small number of voters starting as early as 12.30pm.

The least number of voters was recorded at the Rumah TK Pa'Berang polling centre in the Ba'Kelalan constituency with only 20 people casting their ballot.

The tallying centre for Ba'Kelalan is at the Lawas district council.

The first result of the election is expected to be announced at about 8pm.

4.50pm: PKR candidate Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh concedes defeat in Saribas .

"As a politician, we will continue to be in politics. This defeat will not dampen my spirit to continue the struggle," he tells Malaysiakini at the PKR operations centre in Debak when the unofficial results obtained by the party shows BN is leading with well over 1,200 majority.

This is his third try in the electoral campaign and second attempt in Saribas. He was defeated in the last state polls by a tissue-thin 94-vote majority, but this time he lost by a massive margin.

"The main factor is money, and the secondary factor is (BN fielding a) new candidate," he says, referring to BN's debutante Muhammad Razi Sitam, who replaced unpopular incumbent Wahbi Junaidi.

"Last night, many voters called me to ask for money but we don't practice vote-buying. Although we have lost, we lost with dignity whereas BN's victory is not a genuine victory," he says.

PKR loses in most of the polling districts, including Kampung Tuie, that has still yet to get clean water supply .

5.02pm: According to a DAP source, unofficial interim results as follows:

Meradong : 12 streams counted, DAP leads by 800

Bukit Assek : 3 streams counted, DAP leads by 26 votes.

Bawang Assan : 12 streams counted, DAP trailing 1,200 votes

Dudong : 13 streams counted, trailing 650 votes

Pelawan (no streams counted yet)

For Bawang Assan and Dudong, the streams for Chinese areas are have not been counted yet.

4.57pm: In Iban-majority interior seat Pelagus , PKR’s unofficial results for Rumah Garai Nanga Benin is:

PKR: 68

BN: 17

Ind: 29

4.47pm: Unofficial results from BN sources:

Semop

BN: 3,134

PKR: 468

Ind: 280

Saribas

BN: 2,105

PKR: 814

4.35pm: According to a BN source, the latest unofficial seat tally:

BN: 12 seats

Pakatan: 1 seat

4.34pm: Latest results for Saribas is as follows:

BN: 2,054

PKR: 773

BN majority 1,281

4.24pm: In Batang Ai BN is leading about 200 votes out of the polling districts that have been counted.

However more than half of the polling districts are still pending, notably those with higher voter populations and located at Lubok Antu town.

This means PKR still stands a chance to turn the results around.

Iban-majority Batang Ai was last contested exactly two years ago in a by-election following the death of the incumbent assemblyperson. It was won by PRS Malcom Mussen Lamoh, who is defending the seat in this state election. 

4.18pm: Unofficial results: BN has won the Malay/Melanau-majority seat of Semop .

PBB: 3,138

PKR: 426

Independent: 324

Majority: 2,712

It is leading in five other Malay/Melanau-majority seats - Tanjung Datu , Muara Tuang , Sadong Jaya , Beting Maro , Saribas .

It is also leading in Iban-majority Layar , which is held by DCM Alfred Jabu.

4.15pm In Beting Maro PAS trails 965 to BN’s 1,541.

 

4.10pm: In Saribas , PKR has been defeated in all 12 polling districts counted so far. Another 10 polling districts are unknown.

BN's majority in almost all 12 polling districts has increased compared with the 2006 polls.

It was said that PBB retained the seat in the last polls with only a 94-vote majority because its fielded a unpopular candidate.

The initial result shows PBB's strategy to replace incumbent Wahbi Junaidi with young novice, Muhammad Razi Sitam, has helped to party to regain lost support.

4.09pm: According to PAS the results at 4pm at the following:

Muara Tuang

PAS: 200

BN: 381

Bebas: 0

             

Sadong Jaya

PAS: 223

BN: 672

Ind: 77

3.53pm: A PKR source says BN is leading with some 700 votes in Layar and there are only a few polling stations yet to close. It is going to be very difficult to overturn BN's majority, says the source.

The Iban-majority semi-rural seat of Layar is the stronghold of deputy chief minister Alfred Jabu, who is seeking his eight consecutive term in this election.

He is challenged by PKR's new face Stanny Embat.

3.58pm: DAP says it is on its way to retain Meradong , which was won by spunky 27-year-old Teng Tze Fui four years ago. She is leading by 459 votes.

During the campaigning, DAP has expressed fears that she could be defeated.

DAP: 1,072

SUPP: 613 

3.50pm: According to Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, there appears to be a swing to the opposition in Repok which DAP hopes to wrest from SUPP.

In one polling station during early count, DAP won 165 votes against BN’s 135.

“During 2006 (state elections), we lost by 23 votes,” she says. DAP lost by 576 votes in the last state elections.

3.45pm: PKR sources say BN is leading with some 400 votes at N28 Engkilili .

The Iban-majority seat, said to be a 'grey' seat for BN, sees a four-way fight amongst BN-SUPP, PKR, Snap and an Independent.

3.42pm: Latest unofficial figures from Ba'Kelalan . PKR has increased its lead to 477.

PKR: 1,747

SPDP: 1,270

3.38pm: In N30 Saribas BN is leading with 1,638 to PKR's 601, majority 1,037. 

3.35pm: According to DAP sources, the party is leading in two seats - Meradong (near Sibu), Kidurong (Bintulu) - in early count. DAP is the incumbent in Meradong.

There appears to be a close fight in Bawang Assan , which is held by Sibu SUPP strongman Wong Soon Koh. He is being challenged by Alice Lau, a new face from DAP.

3.28pm: PKR deputy president Azmin Ali says that Baru Bian is still leading by 300 votes in Ba'Kelalan as the vote count continues.

Baru's campaign manager Paul has earlier claimed victory.

3.05pm: In N30 Saribas BN is leading with 872 out of some 2,000 votes cast.

3.01pm: Selangor exco Xavier Jayakumar, who is in Krian, tells Malaysiakini that PKR has won the state seat.

With one more ballot box to go, PKR is leading SPDP:

PKR: 2,335

SPDP: 1,185

He says that the PKR lead in this Iban-majority seat is so big that the final ballot box will not make any difference to the overall result.

3pm: The latest unofficial results for the following seats:

Sebuyau

PAS: 612

BN: 1,409

Ind: 37

Tanjong Datu

PAS: 127

BN: 636

Ind: 11

NONE 2.46pm: Paul Bian, campaign director for Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian in N70 Ba'Kelalan claims that PKR has captured the seat.

He says PKR is leading with about 200 votes, with the results of a few ballot boxes left to be known due to absence of network coverage.

However, those ballots belong to PKR stronghold areas, he says, so Bian is expected to win.

All polling stations in the hilly rural seat closed by 1pm at the latest.

2.40pm: BN is leading in N36 Semop , according to unofficial results.

BN: 2,972

PKR: 454

Ind: 274

BN’s majority is 2,518.

2.25pm: As at 2pm, PKR operations centre reports that they are leading in 7 seats: N34 Krian , N70 Ba'Kelalan , N53 Kakus , N52 Tamin , N58 Jepak N18 Tebedu , N42 Meluan .

Meanwhile, BN is claiming to be leading in four seats - N3 Tanjung Datu , N20 Sadong Jaya , N24 Beting Maro and N36 Semop - which PAS is contesting.

Based on this very preliminary results, there appeared to be a swing among the Iban to Pakatan, while a swing among Malay/Melanau to BN.

2.10pm: According to BN sources, PBB is also leading in Bukit Saban :

 

PBB: 89

PKR: 1

Independent: 0

1.55pm: In Saribas , PBB is leading 594 out of some 1,400 votes counted.

1.50pm: According to PKR, the vote is really close in Ba'Kelalan. The unofficial result shows PKR's Baru Bian still in the lead by a whisker:

PKR: 596

BN: 525

1.30pm: According to BN, PBB is leading PAS in Beting Maro 288 against 144.

1.10pm: PKR says they are also leading in Jepak (PKR - 91, PBB - 81).

12.54am: PKR says they are also leading in early vote count in Layar and Meluan .

However, in Saribas , BN is leading by 343 votes from six polling stations that have been counted. They consist about 10 percent of the total votes.

Saribas is considered as one of the seats that PKR has the highest chance to win. BN's majority in the last state polls was only 94 votes.

12.49am: Other unofficial results from PKR headquarters:

Kakus

PKR: 122

BN: 70

PCM: 1

Independent - 5, rosak 1

Tamin

PKR: 113

BN: 38

As both are Iban-majority seats, there appears to be a swing among the Iban to Pakatan. But these are very early unofficial results.

12.30pm: Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian is facing a tough fight with his nephew Willie Liau in Ba'Kelalan , a hilly area which borders Indonesia's Kalimantan.

Ba'Kelalan is the smallest seat in Sarawak in terms of voter numbers - it has 6,958 registered voters.

The vote count has already begun in those polling stations which have already closed. The unofficial results so far:

PKR: 245

SPDP: 223

 

NONE

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