THE Jepak by-election will see a three-way battle between the candidates of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi).

GPS candidate Iskandar Turkee, 54, will be challenged by PBK’s Stevenson Joseph Sumbang, 42, and Aspirasi’s Chieng Lea Phing, 64, in the by-election, which is held following the death of the incumbent, Talib Zulpilip, on September 15.

Returning officer Abang Zainuddin Abang Turkey said the nomination papers of Iskandar, who is a former Sarawak National Anti-Drugs Agency director, were received at 9.03am.

Stevenson filed his nomination papers at 9.09am and Chieng Lea Phing, three minutes later.

Based the latest electoral roll, the constituency has 22,804 voters with 43 of them being early voters.

The Election Commission has set November 4 as polling day for the by-election.

Talib was the Jepak assemblyman from 1996 to 2021. – Bernama, October 21, 2023.