Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's 'promotion' to governor means Sarawak is set to see a by-election in the state seat of Balingian.

Taib, who has represented the state seat since 2001, must vacate the seat in order to take up the position of state governor.

 
According to Sarawak BN secretary-general Stephen Rundi Utom, Taib had revealed to state BN leaders during a meeting today that he will resign as chief minister before the end of the month.

Sarawak BN has also endorsed a proposal for Taib to be made governor.

 

"We have to fulfil the requirements by the Election Commission (EC) and if there needs to be a by-election, we will go with it," Stephen Rundi ( left ) told reporters after the meeting at Petra Jaya today.
 
Taib is widely speculated to be engineering his exit after 33 years at the helm in Sarawak in a way that will allow him to have much influence over politics in the state.

The current governor's term ends on Feb 28.

 
A governor is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on advice of the state governments. Governors are members of the Conference of Rulers, but do not enjoy the full privileges and authority of a sultan.

Taib looks set to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, Abdul Rahman Ya'kub, who had similarly vacated his state seat when he moved on from chief minister to governor in 1981.

A by-election is required when a seat is vacated if the state assembly's term has not exceeded three years.

Taib won the Balingian (N51) seat in the 2011 state polls by a 5,154-vote majority. PKR's Suriati Abdullah only garnered 871 votes, while independent candidate Salleh Jafaruddin bagged 1,056 votes.

This looming by-election follows another by-election in the state seat of Kajang in Selangor, triggered by the resignation of its PKR representative, Lee Chin Cheh.

The Kajang by-election is fixed for March 23.