Election Commission sets the dates

Sarawak goes to polls on May 7, nomination to be held on April 25, early voting on May 3

Mohd Hashim arriving for the press conference.

KUCHING: The much anticipated 11th state election will be held on May 7, with nomination on April 25, Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah announced yesterday.

The commission had also fixed May 3 for early voters to cast their votes, he told a packed press conference after chairing the commission’s special meeting at Merdeka Palace here.

Based on the updated electoral rolls on April 10, he said the election will have 1,138,650 registered voters, comprising 1,113,522 normal voters, 25,022 advance voters who are military, police and General Operations Force (GOF) personnel and their spouses and 106 absentee voters (those residing overseas).

He also said EC had issued the election writs yesterday and will issue notice of holding elections today (April 15).
A total of 12 days will be allocated for campaigning, he added.

“The commission had received the Instrument of Dissolution from the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) on April 1 in relation to the dissolution of the Sarawak DUN which took effect on April 11.

“As such, EC has held a special meeting today (yesterday morning) to set a date for the Sarawak General Election which must be held within 60 days from the date of the dissolution of its legislative assembly to fill up the respective seats,” he told reporters.

Also present was state EC director Datu Takun Sunggah.

At the meeting, EC appointed 82 Returning Officers to conduct elections in 82 constituencies. The commission will also set up an election enforcement team to monitor conducts and activities of candidates. At the same time, the commission also appointed 62 individuals from various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to become election observers throughout the campaigning period.

Mohd Hashim also said the election will have 1,879 polling centres and 2,959 voting stations, and 20,811 staff would be appointed to run the election process which is estimated to cost RM135.6 million.

He reminded that the closing date for postal voting application (absentee voters) is April 25 and application for advance voting closes on April 27 while the closing date for in-country postal votes for EC workers is May 1.

Hashim presents the press statement to Takun (right) after the press conference to symbolically kick-start the election process.

On another matter, Mohd Hashim dismissed claims that the dates of nomination and polling were decided by the Chief Minister’s Office.

“We fixed the dates at our meeting this morning and any suggestion that the dates were proposed by the Chief Minister’s Office is purely speculation,” he explained.

On another note, Mohd Hashim announced that the commission had approved an application by Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Baru to use its own symbol in the election.

Soft copies of the electoral rolls will be on sale from April 22 while the hard copies will be available from April 23.

Those wishing to check on their polling centres and stations can go to www.spr.gov.my or text EC by typing SPR <space> SEMAK <space> Mykad number and send to 15888 from April 22. The public can also contact EC at 03-88927000 or its Sarawak office at 082-254233 or 254867.

April 15, 2016, Friday 

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