Official: BN sweeps Kinabatangan and Lamag by-elections with big majorities

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — Barisan Nasional (BN) has won both the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections, according to official results, Bernama reported.

BN’s Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar won the Kinabatangan parliamentary seat with a commanding majority of 14,214 votes in a three-cornered contest, the Election Commission announced at the official vote counting centre at Dewan Sri Lamag tonight.

Mohd Kurniawan Naim, also known as Naim Moktar, garnered 19,852 votes, beating Warisan’s Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman who received 5,638 votes, while independent candidate Goldam Hamid obtained 946 votes.

The Kinabatangan by-election was held following the death of incumbent MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, 66, on Dec 5 last year.

Bung Moktar had won the seat in the 15th General Election with a majority of 4,330 votes, defeating Warisan’s Mazliwati Abdul Malek.

BN also retained the Lamag state seat, with its candidate Mohd Ismail Ayob winning with a majority of 5,681 votes.

The Lamag result was announced by returning officer Dr Eddy Syaizul Rizam Abdullah at the same official vote counting centre.

Mohd Ismail, who is better known as Miha, garnered 7,269 votes, while Warisan’s Mazliwati Abdul Malek received 1,588 votes.

Dr Eddy Syaizul Rizam said 369 ballot papers were rejected in the Kinabatangan by-election, and thanked all parties involved for ensuring the process ran smoothly without disruption.

Earlier tonight, Mohd Kurniawan Naim, dressed in a black T-shirt, arrived at the counting centre at 9.05pm accompanied by BN deputy chairman Datuk Jafry Ariffin.