Barisan retains Balingian seat

MUKAH: Barisan Nasional has retained the Balingian seat with an increased majority of 6,911 votes.

BN's candidate Yussibnosh Balo garnered 8,194 votes to defeat PKR’s Abdul Jalil Bujang who garnered 1,283 votes.

There were 146 spoilt votes.

The result was announced by returning officer Shafrie Saili at 7.45pm.

The margin of victory was greater than the 5,154-vote majority obtained by former Chief Minister and assemblyman Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud in the 2011 state election.

Yussibnosh also won the count in all 41 voting streams.

Turnout was 72.33%, slightly higher than the 70% recorded in 2011.

The Balingian state seat fell vacant on Feb 28 when former Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud resigned as assemblyman to be appointed as Sarawak's Yang di-Pertua Negri.