Azmi: EC will be ready for state snap elections

Dr Azmi Sharom

PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission says it will have to be ready for Sabah’s snap elections.

EC deputy chairman Dr Azmi Sharom confirmed that 73 state seats would be contested for the first time after Parliament in 2019 agreed to the creation of 13 new seats.

On July 17 last year, the Dewan Rakyat approved a motion to give the state 13 more state seats, increasing the number from 60 to 73.

The new seats are Bengkoka, Bandau, Pintasan, Pantai Dalit, Darau, Tanjung Keramat, Limbahau, Tulid, Telupid, Sungai Manila, Lamag, Segama and Kukusan.

In Kota Kinabalu, the dissolution of the state assembly by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri has been gazetted.

A state government gazette issued by the Sabah Government Printers shows that Tun Juhar Mahiruddin ordered the dissolution of the assembly on July 30.

The gazetting of the dissolution confirms that a state election will have to be called in 60 days.