KUCHING: Early voting for the Balingian by-election went smoothly yesterday.
Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said the early voters, numbering 133, were security officers and their spouses.
“The casting of votes for the 133 voters went on very smoothly. I am very satisfied with the process. However there was a bit of delay as the police were celebrating the 207th National Police day which was held here this morning,” Abdul Ghani told the media after visiting the early voting centre at Mukah police multi-purpose hall here yesterday.
On the campaigns by both the opposition and Barisan Nasional (BN), he said they had been held smoothly in the last 11 days.
He advised both political parties to continue observing the law during their campaign until polling day on March 29.
The by-election is a straight fight between Abdul Jalil Bujang of PKR and Yussibnosh Balo of PBB/BN.
The Balingian state seat fell vacant following the resignation of its incumbent Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Feb 28, who was appointed as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on March 1.
The seat has some 13,366 registered voters who are made up of mainly Melanaus. However, there are a sizeable number of Iban and Chinese voters.
In the last state election held in 2011, Taib won the seat with a majority of 5,154 votes against Suriati Abdullah of PKR and an independent candidate Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin.