Malaysia's UMNO wins by-election

Mon, 20 Sep 2004 | Source: AFP

MALAYSIA: Malaysia's ruling coalition retained its seat in a state government by-election held on Saturday, the official Bernama news agency said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front coalition beat the independent candidate by a margin of 1,452 votes to retain the Ba'Kelalan seat in the eastern state of Sarawak on Borneo island, it said.

The by-election was called following the death of state assemblyman Judson Sakai Tagal in a helicopter crash in the jungles of Borneo on July 12.

Coalition candidate Nelson Balang Ringin, Sakai Tagal's former private secretary, won 2,843 votes against rival Baru Bian's 1,391, it said. Polling at one center was delayed when ballot boxes could not be delivered on Saturday due to bad weather. It resumed on Sunday morning. -- AFP

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