12 by-elections, four state polls held since GE14

KUALA LUMPUR: There has been a total of 12 by-elections and four state polls since the last general election on May 9, 2018.

During the term of the 14th Parliament, there were 12 by-elections – four in 2018, five in 2019 and three in 2020.

Three by-elections – Batu Sapi and Bugaya in Sabah and Gerik in Perak – were not held after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong promulgated the proclamations of emergency to curb the spread of Covid-19.

However, on Oct 6 this year, the King consented to revoke six ordinances and proclamations of emergency that prevented the three by-elections from being held.

The first of the by-elections was held only three months after the 14th General Election (GE14) – namely for the Sungai Kandis state seat in Selangor on Aug 4, 2018, which saw Pakatan Harapan retain the seat.

The other three by-elections that took place in the same year were for the Balakong and Seri Setia state seats in Selangor on Sept 8, and for the Port Dickson parliamentary seat on Oct 13.

All seats were won by Pakatan.

In 2019, the first by-election was held on Jan 26 in the Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency, where Barisan Nasional retained the seat.

The coalition also won the Semenyih state seat in Selangor in a by-election on March 2.

On April 13, 2019, Barisan contested and retained the Rantau state seat in Negri Sembilan and on May 11 the same year, Pakatan won the by-election for the Sandakan parliamentary seat in Sabah.

At the end of 2019, a by-election was held for the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat in Johor on Nov 16, which saw Barisan swept to a huge victory.

In 2020, the by-election for the Kimanis parliamentary seat in Sabah was held on Jan 18, which saw Barisan clinch another victory.

It also retained the Chini state seat in Pahang in a by-election on July 4.

The last by-election was held for the Slim state seat in Perak on Aug 29, 2020, which Barisan again retained.

The four state elections involve Sabah, Melaka, Sarawak and Johor.

In the Sabah state election on Sept 26, 2020, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) obtained a simple majority to take over the state’s leadership from Warisan.

GRS, comprising Perikatan Nasional and Barisan, as well as its affiliate Parti Bersatu Sabah, won 38 out of the 73-seat state assembly.

On Nov 20, 2021, the Melaka state election was held with Barisan securing 21 of the 28 seats contested while Pakatan took five and Perikatan, two.

The polls were called following the dissolution of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly on Oct 4 of the same year after four assemblymen withdrew their support for Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.

In less than a month, the Sarawak state election was held on Dec 18, 2021, and Gabungan Parti Sarawak led by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg won 76 seats out of the 82 up for grabs.

This year, the Johor state election was held on March 12, with Barisan winning a two-thirds majority, capturing 40 of the 56 seats contested.

Pakatan won 11 seats, Perikatan three seats, and PKR and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance one seat each. — Bernama