Kimanis by-election to be held on Jan 18

The Kimanis by-election will be held on Jan 18 next year, the Election Commission announced today.

Nomination day will be Jan 4, with early voting on January 14.

Election Commission chairperson Azhar Azizan Harun said there will be 29,664 eligible voters, of whom 29,654 are ordinary voters, nine postal voters and one absent voter.

Azhar said the EC has also identified 329 persons with disabilities, who will be assisted to cast their votes.

"The EC will be using the Dewan Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Dun Banir, Beaufort, as the nomination and polling centre," he said after chairing a special meeting at the EC headquarters in Putrajaya.

"We estimate a voters' turnout of 70 percent," he added.

A total of 20 polling centres will be opened, with 69 voting streams, from 7.30am to 5pm on Jan 18. The entire process will involve 653 personnel.

Overall, Azhar (above) estimates that the Sabah parliamentary seat by-election, with a maximum 14-day campaign period, will require RM3.6 million in allocations.

The seat fell vacant following a Federal Court decision on Dec 2 that upheld the Election Court decision on Aug 16 to invalidate the election results for Kimanis in the 14th general election.

A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat had unanimously dismissed former BN minister Anifah Aman's appeal to set aside the Election Court ruling, citing the presence of additional ballot papers that could have affected the election results.

Following the Federal Court decision, Anifah's lead counsel, Tengku Ahmad Fuad, had on Dec 9 reportedly said that his client would be filing an application for a revision.

Quizzed on the matter today, Azhar said the EC has yet to be informed of any related court order, and therefore it has proceeded to carry out its duties to fill the existing vacant parliamentary seat.

"We will have to follow the (Federal) Court ruling, unless it is set aside. So far, (there has been) no such order (to set aside the ruling)," he said.

Warisan candidate Karim Bujang had filed the election petition on June 18 last year to challenge Anifah’s (above) victory.

During the 14th general election, Anifah had won by a slim majority of just 156 votes.

He garnered 11,942 votes in a three-cornered fight, with Karim receiving 11,786 votes and Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah’s Jaafar Ismail getting 1,300 votes.

Anifah quit Umno on Sept 19 to become an independent lawmaker following BN’s defeat in the 14th general election.

Speculation is rife within Umno ranks that Anifah could return to contest under a BN ticket.

Apart from Anifah, his son Ahmad Zachry Anifah is also speculated to be named as the BN candidate.

Umno is expected to face an uphill battle if the by-election turns out to be a three-cornered fight involving Anifah, Umno and Warisan. - Mkini