By-Election For Balingian On March 29, Nomination Day On March 17 - EC

EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said 13,366 registered voters were eligible to vote in the by-election, of whom 13,233 were normal voters while 133 were early voters.

"The estimated expenditure cost for the by-election is RM910,213," he told a media conference after chairing a special meeting to discuss the Balingian state seat which was vacated by former Sarawak chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Feb 28.

The Balingian state seat fell vacant after Abdul Taib officially relinquished the Chief Minister's post to become the Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak, on Feb 28.

Sarawak's Minister of Special Functions Tan Sri Adenan Satem was sworn in as Sarawak's fifth chief minister to succeed Abdul Taib.

In the 2011 state election, Abdul Taib retained the seat in a three-cornered fight by beating Suriati Abdullah (PKR) and Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin (Independent) with a majority of 5,154 votes.

"The date for the issuance of the writ is March 6, the date for the issuance of the by-election is tomorrow March 7, the date for nomination is March 17, which is on Monday, the date for early voting is March 25 (Tuesday), while the date for normal voting is March 29 (Saturday)," he said.

Abdul Aziz said the electoral roll to be used for the by-election is the consolidation of the Main Electoral Roll 2012 with the 2013 First Quarter, 2013 Second Quarter, 2013 Third Quarter and 2013 Fourth Quarter Supplementary Electoral Rolls which had been updated or cleaned until Feb 27, 2014, that is one day prior to the resignation of the incumbent.

He said the EC would appoint three Election Campaign Enforcement Teams (PPKPR) and three assistant returning officers to monitor the campaign proceedings.

Abdul Aziz said 441 personnel mostly from the Mukah District Office would be appointed to handle the by-election process and the Dewan Suarah Mesra Mukah was chosen as the nomination centre for candidates and the official vote tallying centre.

"A total of 22 polling centres will be opened for voting, that is, one voting centre for early voting and 21 voting centres for normal voting.

-- BERNAMA