Up to EC to decide on status of Bugaya by-election — Sabah speaker

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Kadzim M Yahya said he will leave it to the Election Commission (EC) to determine the status of the Bugaya state by-election after the Emergency ends.

He said he had previously made an official announcement regarding the vacancy of the Bugaya state seat in Sabah following the death of incumbent Warisan assemblyman Datin Manis Muka Mohd Darah, 65, on Nov 17 due to kidney problems.

“The EC had set the byelection date, but it had to be cancelled and shelved due to the emergency declaration in the constituency until an appropriate time (to hold the by-election). This is up to the EC as it is the only one that can decide on when (the by-election) can be held,” he said at a media conference yesterday.

Last November, the EC had set the by-elections for the Bugaya state constituency and Gerik parliamentary constituency in Perak to be held simultaneously on Jan 16, but they had to be cancelled and postponed following a Proclamation of Emergency in the constituencies to curb the spread of Covid-19.

On Dec 16, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in a statement, said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin AlMustafa Billah Shah had consented to declare a state of Emergency for both by-elections.

In the statement, the Prime Minister said His Majesty made the proclamation after studying the explanation given by him, who had presented his advice based on a decision taken at the Cabinet meeting.

On Jan 12, His Majesty proclaimed an Emergency that would be enforced up to Aug 1 as a proactive measure to contain the worsening Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

In the 16th Sabah State Election last September, Manis Muka retained her seat after garnering 8,557 votes to win by a 6,005 majority.

Manis Muka, who had been active in politics since 1985, defeated six other candidates, including Perikatan Nasional’s Mohd Daud Tampokong, who could only garner 2,552 votes.