Jepak by-election: BN ready to help GPS if needed - Zahid

KUCHING - Barisan Nasional (BN) is ready to help out Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in its campaign for the Jepak by-election if requested.

Its chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said BN was willing to offer assistance although he expressed confidence that GPS’ machinery was already strong enough to win the by-election on its own.

"If requested (to help), we will. We are confident though that GPS has sufficient machinery to retain the Jepak seat,” he said.

Zahid told reporters this after attending a coordination meeting of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) and state executive councilors in charge of the rural development portfolio here today.

The Election Commission (EC) has set Nov 4 as polling day for the by-election.

Nominations will be on Oct 21 and early voting on Oct 31.

The by-election was called following the death of its incumbent, Datuk Talib Zulpilip, 72, on Sept 15 due to kidney complications.

He was the Jepak Assemblyman for six terms since 1996.

The electoral roll that will be used is the one updated until Sept 15, 2023, which contains 22,804 voters consisting of 22,761 ordinary voters and 43 police personnel. - BERNAMA