Seri Setia, Balakong polls to run simultaneously
PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) yesterday set polling day for the Seri Setia by-election on Sept 8 and nomination day on Aug 18, simultaneously with the Balakong by-election.
EC deputy chairman Tan Sri Othman Mahmood said the campaign period would be 21 days from the date of nomination until 11.59pm on Sept 7, adding that EC had set Sept 4 for early voting.
He said EC had agreed to appoint Petaling Jaya Mayor Datuk Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain as the returning officer for the Seri Setia by-election.
“For the Seri Setia by-election, EC will use the Petaling Jaya City Council Civic Hall for nomination and the official tally centre. A total of 895 people have been appointed to conduct the Balakong by-election and 18 locations will be used as polling centres, comprising 115 voting channels,” he said after chairing a meeting on the Seri Setia by-election.
The cost of running the Seri Setia by-election was estimated at RM1.59 million, said Othman.
EC, he said, had also extended the voting time from 8.30am to 5.30am.
He said 24 new voting channels had been created, from 91 in the 14th General Election (GE14) to 115, to prevent congestion.
He said the number of voting booths would be increased from two to three at each channel.
“This can speed up the polling process at the voting channels.”
He said the by-election would involve 53,492 registered voters, comprising 50,692 normal voters, 2,770 early voters, and 30 absent voters.
He said EC would invite nongovernmental organisations to observe the election process from nomination to polling day.
On why the Seri Setia by-election will be conducted simultaneously with the Balakong by-election, Othman said EC reached the decision after considering several factors, such as logistics, security and convenience.
The Seri Setia seat in the Selangor Legislative Assembly fell vacant after its representative Professor Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin died from colon and liver cancer. In GE14, Shaharuddin, who was PKR vice-president, secured the seat with a majority of 19,372 votes, beating three other candidates from BN and Pas, and an independent.
The Balakong state seat fell vacant following the death of its assemblyman, Ng Tien Chee, in an accident at Km11.7 of the Grand Saga Highway on July 20.
In 2016, the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections were held on the same day.