By Ling Hui
BINTULU, Oct 21: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate Iskandar Turkee will have to defend N67 Jepak from two challengers this by-election.
At 8.28am, Iskandar arrived first at the nomination centre within the Bintulu Civic Centre with his proposer Noriha Ali and seconder Jantai Lani.
Chieng Lea Phing from Sarawak People Aspiration’s Party (Aspirasi) arrived next at 8.34am, accompanied by his proposer Unjong Renca and seconder Panting Belaka.
The third and last to arrive was Stevenson Joseph Sumbang from Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) at 8.46am with his proposer Nelson Sawing Albert Angkasan and seconder Desmond Muli.
At 9.59am, returning officer Abang Zainuddin Abang Turkey announced that all three candidates successfully submitted their nomination papers.
The Jepak seat was left vacant following the passing of its six-term incumbent late Datuk Talib Zulpilip on Sep 15, 2023 at the age of 72, due to health complications.
In the 2021 Sarawak Election, Talib retained the Jepak seat by securing 6,277 votes, against Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s (PSB) Rabaáh Tudin (2,034 votes), PBK’s Stevenson (587 votes) and independent candidate Tuah Kazan (141 votes).
According to latest electoral roll, Jepak has a total of 22,804 registered voters.
Of the total voters, 54 per cent are Malays/Melanau, followed by Iban voters who make up 35 per cent, the Chinese with six per cent, and the remaining five per cent comprising Bidayuh, Orang Ulu and others. — DayakDaily
