A Fourth By-Election?

Will we have a fourth by-election held simultaneously on April 7, 2009. The Election Commission had fixed March 29, for nomination for the by-election in Perak and Kedah, and yesterday fixed the same date for a by-election in Sarawak.

Though at this point in time, this may be just a speculation but a fourth by-election is likely to be held in Sabah for the parliamentary seat of Pensiangan.

The Federal Court on March 13, 2009 (Friday 13) will deliver its decision whether or not to grant Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's apppeal against Kota Kinabalu Election Court declaration on Sept 8, 2008 that his win uncontested in Pensiangan during the March 8, general elections was null and void.

=========================================

Polling for the Batang Ai state by-election in Sarawak will be held on April 7, simultaneously with the polls for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak and Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah.

Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, who chaired the commission meeting in Kuching yesterday in Kuching, said nomination was fixed for March 29, like for the other two seats.

Notice of the writ would be issued on Friday.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Datuk Dublin Unting Ingkot, the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president, on Feb 24.

Abdul Aziz said that after considering several factors, the EC felt that the Sarawak EC officer was ready for the by-election and it was timely to hold the by-elections simultaneously to avoid a long campaigning period.

An allocation of RM400,000 had been approved for the by-election, he told reporters after chairing a two-hour meeting to set the polling date.A total of 24 polling centres would be opened at schools, longhouses, kindergartens and government premises while 201 workers would be deployed, he said adding that Batang Ai had 8,006 registered voters comprising 7,963 ordinary and 43 postal voters.

Dublin won the Iban-majority seat in the state election in May 2006, beating Nicholas Bawin Anggat of Sarawak National Party (Snap) by 806 votes, and was appointed State Assistant Sports and Agriculture Minister.