VOTER turnout for the 17th Sabah General Election has reached 60.94 per cent as of 4pm, with more than 1.7 million eligible voters casting their ballots, the Election Commission reported.
Early voting on Wednesday recorded a participation rate of 92.5 per cent, with 17,615 voters taking part.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail confirmed that the campaign period, which concluded at midnight last night, proceeded without major incidents, adding that the security situation in the state was under control, ensuring a smooth democratic process.
“The Royal Malaysia Police have received several reports related to the campaign, including incidents of taking down party symbols and complaints about speeches during political talks.
“However, the number of reports is small and all are being investigated according to the relevant sections and acts,” he told reporters at the handover ceremony for the Registrar of Societies Malaysia’s 2025 MADANI Adopted Village Project in Kampung Sindang Baru.
To safeguard voters and maintain order, a total of 10,000 police personnel were deployed across Sabah for polling day, with additional officers mobilised from Sarawak to supplement the state’s 9,000-strong contingent.
“The election process in Sabah has been conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and hassle-free atmosphere,” Saifuddin added, noting that authorities continued to monitor complaints throughout the campaign period.
Meanwhile, ballot boxes from several District Voting Centres began arriving at vote counting centres this afternoon.
In Semporna, EC officers transported boxes from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Denawan in Sulabayan via helicopter, landing at the Semporna District Town Hall before being moved to the Semporna Arena Community Hall counting centre.
In Ranau, boxes from Longut and Tiang PDM for the Paginatan constituency reached the Ranau Community Hall Vote Counting Centre, while Nabawan saw its first ballot boxes arrive at the District Council Multipurpose Hall shortly after polling concluded at 12pm.
The election involved 882 polling centres and 3,559 channels, opening from 7.30am to accommodate 1.74 million voters contesting 73 state seats.
On the sidelines, Saifuddin highlighted the MADANI Adopted Village initiative, noting that 12 programmes had been completed with a total expenditure of RM12 million.
“No projects were abandoned and all were completed within the period set by the budget,” he said, emphasising the government’s ongoing efforts to bridge development gaps between urban and rural areas as announced in Budget 2024. - November 29, 2025
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