Sarawak Polls: Drama in Semop as PBK candidate forgets EC pass

BINTANGOR: It was an anxious moment for Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) candidate Jenny Wong Khing Ling when she forgot to bring the pass issued by the Election Commission (EC) to enter the nomination centre.

Her failure to produce the pass resulted in the sole female candidate for the Semop seat being denied access into the Meradong District Office Multipurpose Hall, which had been turned into a nomination centre for the 12th Sarawak State Election.

However, everything ended well for her after she managed to dash home to get her pass before being allowed to enter the hall at 9.45 am - 15 minutes before the nomination period closed - to submit her form.

The Semop seat this time will see a five-cornerned fight between four parties and an Independent candidate.

Incumbent Datuk Abdullah Saidol, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate defending the seat for the third term, will be challenged by Jenny, Abdul Raafidin Majidi of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Mohamad Fadillah Sabali of Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) and Mohd Adenan Zulkepli (Independent).

The announcement of the candidates contesting the seat was made by Semop Returning Officer Badjuri Bidin after the nomination process ended.

Not even the heavy rain since early morning could stop the candidates from turning up early at the nomination centre to submit their forms.

Mohamad Fadillah was the first to submit his form once the nomination process began at 9 am, followed by Abdullah, Mohd Adenan, Abdul Raafidin and Jenny.

At the 11th Sarawak Polls in 2016, Abdullah, who contested under the Barisan Nasional-PBB ticket, won with a 4,412 majority in a straight fight.