KOTA KINABALU: There is no legal necessity for a by-election for the Sungai Sibuga state seat following the death of its assemblyman Datuk Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain, says state Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim Yahya.
According to him, the seat held by the Sabah Umno representative would remain vacant until the next state election, which is due in 10 months when the term of the current assembly ends.
He said that under the law, there is no need for a by-election if the vacancy occurs within two years of the five-year term of the assembly.
The last state election was held in September 2020 and the full term of the current legislative assembly ends in September this year.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor extended his condolences to Mohamad Hamsan’s family on behalf of the state government.
“Mohamad Hamsan’s passing is a great loss to the state,” Hajiji said in a statement.
Mohamad Hamsan, who was Sabah Assistant Minister for Local Government and Housing, passed away at a private hospital here due to acute kidney failure on Sunday night. He was 65.
The first-term assemblyman leaves behind his wife Datin Kalsom Abd Aziz and four daughters.
Yesterday, his body was taken to the Sabah state mosque in Sembulan for prayers before being transported to his hometown in Sandakan.
He was then laid to rest at Bintang Baru Cemetery, Rancangan Sungai Manila.
Mohamad Hamsan contested the Sungai Sibuga seat as a Barisan Nasional candidate in the last state election.
He succeeded incumbent Tun Musa Aman, who was appointed Yang di-Pertua Negeri on Jan 1 this year.
He was retained as an assistant minister in Hajiji’s Cabinet after Sabah Umno withdrew its support for Hajiji’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah state administration in January 2023.
Mohamad Hamsan had remained an Umno member.
