Digest on Malaysian News

The Election Commission expects the first result in tomorrow's Sarawak state election to be in by 8pm and the last at the latest by 11pm. For the actual election result, proceed to Sarawak Election 2011 Result.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said this was based on the current situation and provided nothing extraordinary happens.

He said the EC also expected voter turnout to be higher than the 63.2 per cent in 2006 as the election this time had attracted more interest.

"I predict voter turnout to be between 65 and 75 per cent. The parties contesting are very excited this time. Never before in history has there been 213 candidates with 41 of them independents in Sarawak state election," he told a press conference here Friday.

He reminded voters to come out early as rain was forecast for the afternoon.

At stake are 71 seats. Read Sarawak Election 2011 - Final Candidates List.

On allegations of phantom voters, Abdul Aziz said this allegation was raised every time there was an election but till now had yet to be proven.

"If they come across these voters, please catch them and hand them over to us. Actually what they mean is Sarawak voters who are living away from their constituencies returning to vote but are calling them phantom voters because the locals are not familiar with them," he said.

He said postal votes would be collected Friday but counting only done at 5pm Saturday in the presence of election agents of the contesting candidates.

Abdul Aziz also reminded candidates that all campaigning must cease at midnight Friday night and that they and their agents must observe all polling day regulations.

He added that the EC's enforcement officers and police would bring to book anyone who flouted the rules.

Following are statistics released by the Election Commission to Bernama on the 10th Sarawak state election, polling of which is on Saturday.

Population of Sarawak: 2.261 million
Number of seats: 71

Registered voters: 979,796 (2006: 892,537)
861,423 (normal)
18,363 (postal)
Highest number of voters: N10. Pending (29,488)
Lowest number of voters: N70. Ba Kelalan (6,958)
Polling centre with lowest number of voters: Rumah Tk Pa’Berang, Ba Kelalan (20)

Number of polling centres : 1,749 (2006: 1,716)
- schools : 1,071 (2006: 1,062)
- longhouses : 402 (2006: 396)
- community halls : 126 (2006: 125)
- halls : 59
- others : 91 (2006: 125)

Polling streams : 2,606 (2006: 2,450)
Candidates:
PARTY Number of candidates
BN 71 (2006:71)
PKR 49 (2006: 25)
SNAP 26 (2006: 29)
DAP 15 (2006: 12)
PCM 6
PAS 5 (2006:1)
BEBAS 41 (2006:20)
Total: 213 (2006: 158)

CONTEST CATEGORIES:
Straight fight - 27 (2006: 54)
Three-corner - 23 (2006: 12)
Four-corner – 17 (2006: 1)
Five-corner – 2 (2006: 1)
Six-corner – 2

Election staff: 24,379

Transportation: a. helicopters : 27 (2006:20)
b. light aircraft : 2 (2006:2)
c. cars & four-wheel drives : 4,499 (2,257)
d. boats : 853 (1,055)

Keputusan pilihanraya Sarawak 2011.