LAWAS
(Sarawak), Sept 19 (Bernama) -- The Election Commission (EC) has
no plans to increase the polling period for elections in Sabah and
Sarawak, its deputy chairman, Datuk Abdullah Zawawi Mohamed, said.
The one-day polling period would be maintained "but if there are
problems during that time, we will take the best possible steps
to resolve it," he told reporters after results of the Ba'kelalan
by-election, won by Barisan Nasional candidate, Nelson Balang Rining,
were announced here Sunday.
In previous years, the Sabah and Sarawak elections had, on some
occasions, been carried out over two days or in stages.
On the Ba'Kelalan by-election, Abdullah said although the voter
turnout was low, the EC was satisfied with the process "seeing as
the constituents had not voted in the last two terms".
He said the EC would also try to overcome weaknesses discovered
in the by-election process "such as in Long Lellang where technical
problems caused polling to be postponed".
Nelson, 48, former Private Secretary to the late Datuk Dr Judson
Sakai Tagal, and Youth exco member of the Sarawak Progressive Democratic
Party (SPDP), obtained 2,843 votes to beat Independent Baru Bian,
46, a lawyer, who got 1,391 votes.
-- BERNAMA
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