KOTA KINABALU: The Election Commission (SPR) will decide the status of the DUN Lamaq seat following the passing of Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who won the seat in the state general election on November 29.
Former state assemblyman Datuk James Ligunjang stated that this is because Bung has not yet taken the oath as a legitimate assemblyman before the Speaker of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly.
“In this situation, the Speaker does not have the authority to declare the seat vacant.
“This means it falls under the jurisdiction of the SPR (EC), and it is the SPR that will determine the status of the Lamaq seat, whether to hold a by-election or not,” he said when contacted today.
Regarding Bung’s position as the Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, Ligunjang mentioned that the current Madani government term will end in 2027.
The next general election in Malaysia must be held no later than November 20, 2027.
Ligunjang noted that if the term is less than two years, then according to existing legal provisions, a by-election for Parliament is not necessary.
However, in this case, he stated that it is the Speaker of the House of Representatives who determines the status of the Kinabatangan seat.
In the recent Sabah general election, Bung, who is also the Chairman of the Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah, retained the Lamag seat constituency with a majority of 153 votes in a six-cornered contest.
Earlier today, Bung passed away at the age of 66, less than a week after being elected as the Lamag assemblyman for a second term.
