With 82 state seats up for grabs, it is undoubtedly the biggest polls ever held in Sarawak. Surprisingly, the Election Commission has recorded 971 nomination forms being bought at its various branches as at yesterday, which marks another record in its history.
As 11 new constituencies were created following a delineation exercise earlier this year – which was lamented by the opposition as a ‘trick’ to increase Barisan Nasional majority – it excites many parties to test it for the first time.
The new seats to be contested are Batu Kitang, Stakan, Serembu, Bukit Semuja, Gedong, Kabong, Tellian, Bukit Goram, Murum, Samalaju and Mulu.
The Election Commission (EC) had declared April 25 as nomination day and May 7 as the date for polling after the state assembly was dissolved on April 11 by Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
According to the EC, there are 1.14 million registered voters who are eligible to vote, comprising 1.1 million normal voters and 25,022 early voters and 106 postal voters (overseas). Early voting is fixed for May 3, while the actual voting process takes place on May 7.
EC chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said 443 nomination forms were sold at the EC office in Kuching, 178 in the Sibu (zone), 172 sets in Miri (zone), 124 in Kuching (zone) and 54 sets in the Sri Aman (zone).
Mohd Hashim said when submitting the nomination forms, only three people – candidate, proposer and seconder – would be allowed into the nomination centre while supporters would be required to remain at least 50m away from the nomination centre.
Barisan Nasional won 55 of the 71 seats contested in 2011 while DAP clinched 12 seats but later lost one seat when Pujut state assemblyman Fong Pau Teck was sacked from the party. The PKR took three seats while one seat was won by an independent candidate.
On Friday, the EC also ruled no pictures of Prime Minister Najib Razak and other leaders should be put up as campaigning materials, unless they attend specially organised events.
Only pictures of contesting candidates are allowed.
While BN is expected to retain its rule and majority, the opposition from DAP, PKR, PAS and Amanah have yet to settle down amid bickering over seats’ allocation.