BN wins with bigger majority in Balingian

(MM) – Barisan Nasional’s Yussibnosh Balo won today the Balingian seat with a majority of 6,911 votes, 701 votes more than his predecessor, former Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud did during the 2011 state election.

In a straight fight, the 48-year-old former district officer garnered 8,194 votes against PKR’s Abdul Jalil Bujang’s 1,283 votes.

The official result was announced by Returning Officer Shafrie Saili at 7.45pm at the Dewan Suarah Mukah here.

Shafrie added that there were 146 spoilt votes.

In a three-way tussle in 2011, Taib received 6,210 votes, followed by Independent candidate Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin’s 1,056 votes and PKR’s Suriati Abdullah’s 871 votes at the state election.

The Balingian by-election was called following Taib’s decision to retire as chief minister at the end of February, after a political career spanning over three decades.

He was later appointed to be Sarawak governor, starting March 1.