EC to meet Thursday on Tanjong Datu by-election

The Election Commission will be holding a meeting on Thursday (Jan 19) on the by-election for the Tanjong Datu state seat in Sarawak.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said the EC had been officially notified of the vacancy by Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar following the death of its incumbent Tan Sri Adenan Satem on Jan 11.

He said the meeting will discuss important matters like the dates for nomination, early voting, polling day and the Electoral Roll to be used.

"The meeting will also discuss on other preparations that are necessary to conduct the by-election," he said in statement here today.

The meeting is scheduled to be held at the EC's headquarters here at 9.30am on Thursday.

Adenan, who was also Chief Minister of Sarawak, died of heart complications at the Sarawak Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak last Wednesday. He was 72.

In Sarawak's 11th state election last year, Adenan garnered 6,360 votes to defeat PKR candidate Jazolkipli Numan who managed only 468 votes by a majority of 5,892 votes. The PKR candidate lost his deposit.

Adenan had been the incumbent assemblyman for Tanjong Datu since the 2006 state election. -- BERNAMA