Speaker to send letter on Kuala Besut vacancy to EC tommorow

Terengganu State Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohd Zubir Embong will be sending a letter on the vacancy of the Kuala Besut state seat to the Election Commission (EC) tomorrow to pave the way for a by-election for the constituency.

He said the seat fell vacant following the death of Kuala Besut state assemblyman Dr A.Rahman Mokhtar, 55, at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital at 10.18am this morning.

"I will be sending the letter to Terengganu EC tomorrow to enable a by-election to be held within 60 days after it has been gazetted," he said when contacted by Bernama, here today.

He said after receiving the letter, the EC would hold a meeting to fix the date for the by-election within the period.

The late Dr A.Rahman was the Terengganu State Exco for Health, Women and Community Development.

In the 13th general election on May 5, Dr A. Rahman defended the seat he won in 2008 with a majority of 2,434 votes to beat Napisah Ismail of PAS.

Dr Rahman is survived by his wife and four children and was expected to be laid to rest at the Teluk Bayu mosque cemetery in Kuala Besut after Zohor prayers today.

In the 13th general election, Terengganu Barisan Nasional won with a simple majority with 17 seats to continue ruling the state.