No by-election for Sungai Air Tawar seat - EC

The Election Commission (EC) has decided that no by-election will be held for Sungai Air Tawar seat in Selangor which fell vacant following the death of its state assemblyman.

Its chairman, Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said they had received official notification from Selangor State Assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan that the vacancy does not affect the strength of parties which form the majority in the state government.

"Therefore, the EC decided that no by-election will be held to fill the vacanct seat. This is based on provisions of the state constitution," he told a press conference here, today.

Incumbent Kamarol Zaki Abdul Malik,59, died in his house in Kampung Sungai Air Tawar, Sabak Bernam, Selangor on Tuesday (Jan 17).

In the 2013 general election, Kamarol Zaki of Barisan Nasional (BN) defeated Wahid Rais of PAS to win the Sungai Air Tawar state seat with a majority of 1,416 votes.

Yeoh said in accordance with provisions of Article LXX (5), Part Two of the Selangor State Constitution 1959, a vacancy should only be filled if the strength of parties which form the majority in the state assembly were affected.

The Selangor State Assembly has 56 seats, DAP (14), PKR (13), PAS (13), BN (12), Parti Amanah Negara (2) and Independent (2). - BERNAMA