Sarawak Polls Set For Dec 12, Nomination Nov 28

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Dec 12 as polling day for the 13th Sarawak state election, with nomination day set for Nov 28 and early voting on Dec 8.

EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the election would have a 14-day campaign period.

He announced the dates at a press conference after chairing a special meeting on the election arrangements and key dates here today.

Ramlan said applications for domestic and overseas postal voting opened on Oct 26, with the deadline for Category 1A voters, comprising election workers, EC officers, military personnel and media practitioners, set for Nov 25.

“Applications for Category 1B, involving Malaysians residing overseas, and Category 1C, covering eligible agencies and organisations, will close on Nov 20,” he added.

He said the EC had appointed 82 returning officers, assisted by 305 assistant returning officers, to oversee the election.

To monitor campaign activities, Ramlan said 82 election campaign enforcement teams will be formed, comprising representatives from the Royal Malaysia Police, local authorities and contesting candidates.

The electoral roll for the 13th Sarawak Election comprises 2,058,781 voters, including 2,034,373 ordinary voters, 13,575 military personnel and their spouses, and 10,833 police and General Operations Force personnel and their spouses, he said.

In a subsequent statement, the EC said 97 nomination centres and official vote-tallying centres would be used for the election, with 40,505 personnel appointed to manage the process.

“A total of 82 early voting centres, comprising 106 voting streams, and 1,945 ordinary polling centres, with 4,482 voting streams, will be set up.

“This brings the total to 2,027 polling centres and 4,588 voting streams statewide,” it said.

The EC estimates that RM174.94 million will be required to conduct the election.

-- BERNAMA