BN takes early lead in Kinabatangan, Lamag

Naim Kurniawan Moktar leads in Kinabatangan with a majority of 4,777 votes, while Ismail Ayob also leads in Lamag by 538 votes.

Barisan Nasional’s Naim Kurniawan Moktar and Ismail Ayob are contesting the Kinabatangan and Lamag seats, respectively. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Barisan Nasional has taken an early lead in both the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections, according to early unofficial results reported by Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

According to his Facebook post, BN candidate Naim Kurniawan Moktar is said to have secured 4,815 votes, giving him an early majority of 4,777 votes over his two rivals – Warisan’s Saddi Abdul Rahman and independent candidate Goldam Hamid.

In Lamag, BN’s Ismail Ayob is leading with an early majority of 538 votes against Warisan’s Mazliwati Abdul Malek.

There are a total of 48,722 registered voters, comprising 48,526 ordinary voters, and 196 police personnel and their spouses who voted early, in the by-elections.

As of 3pm, voter turnout was 50.37% for the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat and 55.16% for the Lamag state seat. All polling stations closed at 5.30pm.

A total of 36 polling centres with 117 polling streams opened simultaneously at 7.30am.

The by-elections were triggered by the death of the incumbent, Bung Moktar Radin, 66, in early December. Naim is Bung’s son.

The official results are expected to be announced by returning officer Eddy Syaizul Rizam Abdullah at 10pm at the earliest. - FMT