The Election Commission (EC) received a total of 447 nomination papers from candidates vying for 73 state seats contested in the Sabah state election scheduled for Sept 26 after the nomination period ended at 10 am today.

EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said 404 of the papers were submitted by male candidates, and 43 others were by female candidates.

Candidates fielded by Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) submitted the highest number of nomination papers at 73, followed by Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) (53), United Sabah National Organisation (USNO) (47), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (46), Barisan Nasional (BN) (41), Perikatan Nasional (PN) (29), Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan) (28), Parti Perpaduan Rakyat Sabah (PPRS) (23) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) (22).

“Apart from them, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) also nominated 12 candidates, PKR (seven), Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan Rakyat) (five), Parti Kerjasama Anak Negeri (Anak Negeri) (two) and one each by Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), Parti Kebangsaan Sabah (PKS) and Pertubuhan Perpaduan Rakyat Kebangsaan Sabah (Pertubuhan).

“Only one nomination paper was rejected after the prospective candidate was disqualified due to bankruptcy,” he told a press conference here today.

Abdul Ghani also confirmed that 56 Independent candidates were vying for seats in the snap polls, which will also see an 11-cornered fight in Bengkoka and a 10-cornered fight in Inanam.

There will be a six-cornered fight in 26 state seats, as well as five-cornered in 15, seven-cornered in 13, eight-cornered in six, four-cornered in five, and three-cornered in three other state seats, he said.

He said the youngest candidate in the election is a 22 years old contesting in Tandek, while the oldest candidate is a 75 years old vying for the Bugaya seat.

“We expect the voter turnout for the snap election to reach 75 per cent and the vote-tallying process to be fully completed before midnight on Sept 26,” he added.

-- BERNAMA