KOTA KINABALU – The Election Commission (EC) has received the official notification of the vacant Bugaya state and Gerik parliamentary seats.
The seats fell vacant following the deaths of Gerik MP Datuk Hasbullah Osman and Bugaya rep Datin Manis Muka Mohd Darah on November 16 and 17, respectively.
EC secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said the commission received the notification from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun on the Gerik seat on November 18.
Meanwhile, a notification on Sabah’s Bugaya seat came from the state speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya on November 23, he added.
“In view of this, a special meeting has been called this Friday at 9.30am at the EC headquarters in Putrajaya to discuss by-election dates. The meeting will be chaired by the EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh,” he said in a statement, today.
Under Article 54 (1) of the federal constitution, a by-election must be held to fill in the vacant parliamentary seat within 60 days, while a Sabah by-election must be held to fill in any vacant seat under Article 25 (1) of the Sabah constitution. – The Vibes, November 24, 2020