BY NOON today, 50.4% of registered voters had cast their ballots in the Kimanis parliamentary by-election, after all 19 polling centres with 68 lanes, were opened on time at 7.30am.

Voting will end at 5pm this evening, with the Election Commission (EC) anticipating a 70% voter turnout among 29,664 registered voters.

The by-election features a one-on-one contest between Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) candidate Karim Bujang, 67, and Mohamad Alamin, 48, from Barisan Nasional (BN) – both men cast their votes at SK Kimanis and SK Our Lady of Fatima (M) Kampung Kelatuan respectively, at 9am.

Earlier this morning, EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun could be seen observing the voting process at three polling centres: SK Belatik, Papar; SK Sumbiling; and SK Viging Ulu in Bongawan.

He told reporters that, so far, the process was smooth without any untoward incident occurring.

The EC anticipates that it will be able to announce the election result before 10pm tonight.

The designated counting centre is at Dewan Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohd Dun Banir in Beaufort. – Bernama, January 18, 2020.