SANDAKAN: The Sandakan parliamentary by-election ended with the police saying that the turnout stood at 54.22% at 5pm Saturday (May 11), lower than Election Commission's target of 70%.
The police announced the unofficial turnout numbers during a press conference at the vote tallying centre in SMJK Tiong Hua Sandakan here.
The EC is expected to announce official turnout at 8pm.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said the overall polling process, which began at 7.30am, was smooth at the 19 polling centres and 90 channels under the constituency.
Omar said no untoward incidents were reported with the last report lodged over an alleged vote-buying incident at 12.06am today (May 11).
"It was based on a video that went viral with people alleging that certain parties tried to offer money to buy their votes," said Omar.
He also said the visuals in the video were unclear as it was dark.
The percentage given was from the 39,684 constituents eligible to cast their votes for the by-election on Saturday, from a total 40,131 voters registered under the Sandakan parliamentary constituency.
Postal votes had been issued earlier to 177 individuals, while early voting was allowed for 270 policemen last Tuesday (May 7).
The by-election was called after the passing of Sandakan MP Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt on March 28.
It involved a five-cornered fight between DAP's Vivian Wong who is Stephen's daughter, Parti Bersatu Sabah's (PBS) Datuk Linda Tsen and independents Hamzah Abdullah, Sulaiman Abdul Samat and Chia Siew Yung.
Counting of the votes is ongoing.
Omar also added no reports were made on the slight commotion among different party supporters at SK Tanjung Papat 1 during the day.
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