KOTA KINABALU: One individual has collected the Batu Sapi by-election nomination form from the Election Commission (EC) office at the Federal Administration complex here Sunday.
Mohamad Hamsan
State EC director Datuk Idrus Ismail, however could not confirm if the individual was representing a political party.
“We believe he is ‘bebas’ (independent),” he told reporters after handing over the Batu Sapi by-election writ to the Returning Officer (RO) Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain yesterday.
Idrus also announced the mobilisation of the EC’s hotline for registered voters to check the electoral roll from Oct 18 to Nov 4 which is the polling day.
The public can call 088-484766 or 088-484550 from 8am to 5pm daily including weekends to check on their status in the electoral roll, he said.
“We also would like to inform Tanah Merah voters of the change in the polling station from Tadika St Gabriel to SK Bandar Sandakan,” he said adding that the change was necessary because the kindergarten has closed down.
He disclosed that a total of 25,582 registered voters will be eligible to cast their votes in the Batu Sapi constituency and that the figure was obtained from the electoral roll that was gazetted on Oct 9.
The breakdown of voters are 15,099 or 59.02 per cent Muslim Bumiputera, 9,737 or 38.06 per cent, non-Muslim Bumiputera 689 or 2.69 per cent and 57 or 0.22 per cent of other nationalities. When asked about the decreased number of voters from 26,004 in the last general election to 25,582 this time round, Idrus said that some of the names had to be taken out of the roll because they had passed away.
“There is also a case of an individual who opted to become the citizen of another country,” he added.
Idrus also expressed his confidence in the capabilities of the RO, Mohamad Hamsan, as the latter is from Sandakan and knows the area well.
“I do not foresee any problems,” he said adding that the state EC has mobilised its manpower and logistics for the by-election.
The state EC will be employing the services of 405 people, 11 vehicles and one boat, the last one to service the polling station in Pulau Timbang which is about 30 minutes, ride from Sandakan town.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Hamsan told the media that he was the RO for two state elections and three general elections.