Sibu: Three-Cornered Fight

(Bernama) — The Sibu parliamentary by-election on May 16 will be a three-cornered fight between Barisan Nasional’s candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew, DAP’s Wong Ho Leng and independent Narawi Harun, returning officer Wong See Meng announced at the nomintation centre, at the Sibu Civic Centre, Sarawak at 11.25 am Saturday.

Hui Yew was the first to hand in his papers at the nomination centre at the Sibu Civic Centre at 9.03am, followed by Wong at 9.04am.

Narawi handed in his nomination papers at 9.13am.

Nomination closed at 10am.

Thousands of supporters from both sides, including 5,000 from the BN, had gathered at Sibu town since early today, causing traffic congestion on roads leading to the nomination centre.

An early statement by the Election Commission described the the mood as “orderly” despite thousands of supporters of the candidates gathering at the locations.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud headed the BN supporters in a two-km march from the Delta Estate while DAP was led by its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PKR by president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail.

Security around the nomination centre was tightened as policemen were in full force to direct traffic and maintain order.

There will be 45 polling stations set up at 39 schools, two kindergartens, a training centre, longhouse, public library and public recreational centre with 110 polling streams.

Sibu has 54,695 voters, comprising 52,158 ordinary voters and 2,537 postal voters made up of 1,910 military and 627 police personnel.