EC sets Jan 24 for twin Kinabatangan, Lamag by-elections

An upcoming twin by-election for Kinabatangan and Lamag in Sabah will be held on Jan 24, the Election Commission (EC) announced today.

Speaking during a press conference after a meeting in Putrajaya, EC chairperson Ramlan Harun also announced Jan 10 as the nomination date and the 20th for early voting, with an updated electoral roll comprising 48,722 voters.

Online postal ballot registration opens today and will end on Jan 6 or 8, based on three different applicant categories.

The Kinabatangan parliamentary seat and Lamag state seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent, former Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin.

RM10m allocation

The EC has allocated RM10 million for the by-elections and appointed a returning officer as well as eight assistants, along with four oversight committees involving the police, local councillors and candidates' representatives.

"The EC also offers the opportunity to any government agency, NGO, or any interested body to serve as election observers from nomination day until the announcement of the election results.

"They are allowed to carry out observations at locations such as polling centres, polling stations and vote-counting centres, and must comply with all appointment conditions set by the EC," Ramlan said.

A total of 1,106 election workers will be appointed to manage the by-elections that cover 36 ordinary polling centres, comprising 117 polling stations/streams, and one early voting centre with one polling station.

Bung had held the Kinabatangan seat since 1999 and defended the Lamag seat for a second term during the recently concluded 17th Sabah polls.

Apart from Lamag, Kinabatangan also comprises two other state seats, Kuamut and Sukau.

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Bung laid to rest at Kampung Likas Muslim cemetery