THE Election Commission (EC) is to meet next week to determine the dates for the by-election for the Seri Setia state seat, EC deputy chairman Othman Mahmood said today.

He said the EC was officially notified today by Selangor Legislative Assembly Speaker Ng Suee Lim of the vacant seat following the death yesterday of assemblyman Shaharuddin Badaruddin.

Shaharuddin, 55, who was Selangor Islamic Affairs, Education and Human Capital Development Committee chairman, died of colon cancer about 6.30pm at Putrajaya Hospital.  

Othman spoke to reporters after the handing over of ballot boxes to election workers handling the Sungai Kandis by-election polling day tomorrow.

The Sungai Kandis by-election is the first after the 14th general election in May. It is being held following the death of assemblyman Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei, 50, of PKR, of lymphoma cancer on July 2.

A second by-election, for the Balakong state seat, also in Selangor, follows the death of assemblyman Ng Tien Chee, 40, of DAP, in an accident on the Grand Saga Expressway as he drove from Kuala Lumpur to Kajang on July 20. 

Nomination for the Balakong by-election is on August 18 and polling day is on September 8.

On whether the Seri Setia by-election could be held simultaneously with the Balakong by-election, Othman said it would depend on the outcome of the EC meeting as many aspects had to be taken into account, including the location, workers and logistics. – Bernama, August 3, 2018.