KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Election Commission (EC) director Datuk Mohd Idrus Ismail yesterday confirmed that no by-election will be held following the death of Tungku assemblyman Datuk Mohd Suhaili recently.
“Tidak perlu (no need for a) by-election,” he said in his WhatsApp when replying to the Borneo Post which had earlier inquired if a by-election was necessary to fill the vacant Tungku state seat since the five-year term for the State Legislative Assembly will end next year.
Recently, State Assembly Speaker Datuk Johnny Mositun was reported saying that it was up to the Election Commission to decide whether to hold a by-election, or not.
He explained that normally, if a seat becomes vacant less than two years before the end of the State Legislative Assembly term, a by-election will not be called.
Mohd Suhaili, 56, died at the Gleneagles Hospital in Kuala Lumpur last week due to liver cancer.
He was Umno Silam deputy chief as well as chairman of the Sabah Religious Council (MUIS).