Malaysia's UMNO wins by-election

Malaysia's UMNO wins by-election

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