Terengganu assembly notifies EC of vacant seat

The Terengganu legislative assembly today notified the Election Commission (EC) of the vacant Kuala Besut state seat. 

Assembly speaker Mohd Zubir Embong handed over the letter to state EC director Fakhrul Razi Ab Wahab at the former's office at Wisma Darul Iman at 10am. 

The seat fell vacant following the death of the assemblyperson, Dr A Rahman Mokhtar, 55, of lung cancer yesterday. 

Fakhrul Razi said he would hand over the notification to EC chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof today.

“The by-election for Kuala Besut must be held by Aug 27,” he told reporters. The elections rules stipulate that a by-election must be held within 60 days of the official notification of a vacancy.

A Rahman was the chairperson of the state Health and Women, Family and Community Development Committee. 

In the general election on May 5, he retained the seat for the Barisan Nasional (BN) after beating Napisah Ismail of PAS by a majority of 2,434 votes.

The BN garnered a simple majority to form the Terengganu state government after winning 17 seats. PAS has 14 seats in the assembly while Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has one. 

- Bernama