NOMINATION for the Jepak state by-election opened at 9am today at Dewan Suarah, Bintulu. 

The process is scheduled to last for an hour after which returning officer, Abang Zainuddin Abang Turkey, will announce the candidates for the by-election.

The by-election is being held following the death of assemblyman Talib Zulpilip, 72, of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) on September 15.

In the 2021 Sarawak election, Talib secured the Jepak seat with a 4,243-vote majority.  

The Election Commission has announced that polling day will be held on November 4 and early voting to be on October 31.

Abang Zainuddin said yesterday that no early voting centres will be opened on October 31 as all 43 early voters who are police personnel would cast their ballots via postal voting.

On Wednesday, GPS named former National Anti-Drug Agency Iskandar Turkee state director as its candidate for the polls.

Two local opposition parties had previously announced their candidates to challenge GPS. There were also rumours of several Independent candidates joining the contest.

Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional in a statement on Wednesday said it would not field a candidate to focus on defending the Kemaman parliamentary seat in Terengganu in a by-election set for December 2.

Sarawak PKR said it had taken the same measure to maintain the harmony of the unity government at the federal level.

The Jepak constituency has 22,804 registered voters, a majority of whom are Malay/Melanau. – Bernama, October 21, 2023.