GE15: EC in meeting to set Nomination Day, polling dates

PUTRAJAYA: A special meeting of the Election Commission (EC) started at 10.05 am today to determine the important dates for the 15th General Election (GE15).

The date for the by-election of the Bugaya state seat in Sabah will also be discussed at the meeting.

Immediately after the meeting - which is scheduled to end at noon - is over, the EC is expected to announce the dates for nomination, polling as well as the date of the election writ, the electoral roll that will be used as well as preparations to implement GE15 and the Bugaya by-election.

The meeting is chaired by EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh.

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Also present are EC deputy chairman Dr Azmi Sharom, Secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak, EC members Datuk Chin Phaik Yoong, Zoey Randhawa, Dr Mohd Faisal Syam Abdol Hazis, Datuk Awang Sahari E.M Nadzeer and Datuk Nik Ali Mat Yunus and senior EC officers.

The special meeting follows the dissolution of the 14th Parliament which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Oct 10 to make way for GE15 after receiving the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

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The general election this time is different as several state legislative assemblies were not dissolved namely Melaka, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak because they just had their state elections recently while three states under PAS - Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah - and three states under Pakatan Harapan - Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan - also did not dissolve their respective state assemblies as their state elections are only due next year.

Only Perak, Pahang and Perlis dissolved their state assemblies to hold state elections simultaneously with GE15.

Previously, the general election saw parliamentary and state elections throughout the country except for Sarawak held simultaneously. - Bernama