The Election Commission has fixed May 11 for the Sandakan parliamentary by-election while nomination is on April 27 and early voting on May 7.
EC chairman Azhar Azizan Harun revealed that the electoral roll for the seat had 39,856 ordinary voters, 270 early voters and five absentee voters (who are overseas).
The EC would mobilise 770 polling staff to handle 21 polling centres with a total of 92 voting streams, he said.
The by-election is necessitated following the death of the incumbent Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt, 65, who was also Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister, on March 28.
In the 14th General Election last May, Wong, who was also state DAP chairman, won the seat with a majority of 10,098 votes. He secured 9,094 votes to defeat Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Lim Ming Ho who obtained 8,996 votes.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that a daughter of Wong is among the names suggested as DAP’s candidate for the by-election.
Sources said Wong’s politically-active youngest daughter, Vivian, seems to be the favourite.
Vivian, who has a degree in mass communications, had been working with her father as his officer in the state’s health and well-being ministry. She was also active in the party’s programmes.
“She was with her father throughout his political campaign and was also very involved in party activities.
“However, the name of this ‘favourite’ choice has been forwarded to the party’s Central Executive Committee for consideration,” the source was quoted as saying.