10th Sarawak's Election @ 16 April 2011

After 10 days of gruelling campaigning, Sarawakians will hit the ballot boxes today in the 10th state legislative assembly elections. There are a total of 213 candidates contesting for 71 seats.

Although numerous minor opposition parties and Independents are in the fray, the main contest is between the ruling BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

The campaign saw long-serving Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has been in power for three decades, being the main target of Pakatan's campaign while BN went for its tried-and-tested 'development' card.

Political observers are expecting, barring any widespread vote-rigging, Pakatan to make significant inroads this time round based on the anti-Taib factor alone.

The results of this elections would be far-reaching - it will decide how long Taib will continue his rule, when the general elections will be held and whether Sarawak will see the beginning of a robust two-party system.

Taib Mahmud, who is contesting for his seventh term, will lead the BN in contesting all 71 seats.

Taib's PBB is contesting 35 seats, while BN component parties SUPP are gunning for 19, PRS (9) and SPDP (8).

Meanwhile, PKR is contesting in 49 seats, Snap (26), DAP (15), PCM (6), PAS (5). A total of 41 candidates are contesting as Independents.

There will be straight fights in 27 constituencies, three-cornered fights in 23 constituencies, 17 (four-cornered), two (five-cornered) while two constituencies will face six-cornered fights.

All eyes will be on28 hot seatsidentified byMalaysiakini. Pakatan has set its target on denying BN its two-thirds majority by winning at least 24 seats.

The constituency with the largest number of voters is Pending (29,498 voters) while the least number of voters is in Ba'Kelalan (6,958).

Polling opens at 8am and will close at 5.30pm. Unofficial results should begin trickling in at about 6pm. According to the Election Commission, the final results are expected by 8pm.

However, some polling stations in a number of rural seats will close as early as 11.30am due to the small number of voters. Unofficial results from these areas will be known much earlier. Helicopters are being used in 15 voting centres.

LIVE REPORTS

8am: All polling stations open.

The voters will cast their ballots at 1,748 the polling centres throughout the state which is the size of Peninsular Malaysia and polling would be carried out in stages as there were voters living in the interior areas.

Schools, longhouses and community halls were being used as polling centres.

The Election Commission (EC) is expecting a voter turnout of 75%.

Source : Malaysiakini, Berita Harian

Posted in: Politics