EC chairman reveals new seats will have 160,000 voters in next state election
Mohd Hashim (left) in a discussion with PBB Supreme Council member Abdullah Saidol at a briefing for representatives of political parties yesterday.
KUCHING: Around 1.14 million registered voters will be eligible to vote in 82 constituencies during the coming 11th state election.
Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said the figure included 14,000 armed forces personnel and 9,500 police personnel who would be voting early as they would be on duty during polling day.
Besides that, the 21,000 election workers who will also be on duty during the election day will cast their votes by postal voting, he added.
“The coming state election will also see some 160,000 voters voting in the new constituencies,” he said during a briefing to representatives of political parties here yesterday.
The briefing was attended by representatives of all political parties except Peace Party Sarawak and SWP.
Mohd Hashim hoped that political parties would encourage registered voters to vote in the coming state election, adding that it was common to see many who registered as voters not turning up to vote during polling day.
He also hoped that the party representatives attending the briefing yesterday would encourage voters to check their constituencies before voting.
He revealed that EC had allocated RM135 million to conduct the polls and 38 helicopters would be used as transport for 21 rural state constituencies that are inaccessible by cars and boats.
“A total of 1,871 polling stations and 2,945 voting channels will be established during the polling day.”
Meanwhile, state EC director Datu Takun Sunggah, when asked about their contingency plan if the polling stations are flooded during polling day, said EC might postpone the voting process in the particular stations.
“If the polling station is affected by flood and the people cannot vote, maybe the commission will fix another date and place for voting on a different day. In that case, the result announcement will also be delayed.”
On the map of the newly delineated boundaries, he said he had to check with the state Land and Survey Department because it is the department that printed the map.