1987 Bongawan by-election

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1987 Bongawan by-election
Flag of Sabah (1982-1988).svg
  1986 19 September 1987 1990  

Bongawan seat in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly
 PBSUSNO
CandidateAbdul Ghani BidinAk Aliuddin Pg Mohd Tahir
Party PBS USNO
Alliance BN BN
Popular vote3,2792,835
Percentage53.63%46.37%

.


Bongawan assemblyman before election

Abdul Karim Abdul Ghani
USNO

Elected Bongawan assemblyman

Abdul Ghani Bidin
PBS

The 1987 Bongawan by-election is a by-election for the Sabah State Legislative Assembly seat of Bongawan that were held on 19 September 1987. [1] It was called following the automatic resignation of the incumbent, Abdul Karim Abdul Ghani on 9 July 1987 after being sacked from his party. [2]

Contents

Background

Abdul Karim Abdul Ghani, from United Sabah National Organisation (USNO), were elected to the state seat of Bongawan in the 1986 Sabah state election, defeating 5 other candidates with a 151 votes majority. He were a supreme council member of USNO.

On 9 July 1987, Abdul Karim were expelled from USNO, after he was found by the party's supreme council to be guilty of breaching party's regulation. [2] This was after he were accused of making public statements detrimental to the party. Abdul Karim were making public statements criticizing USNO and the party leader Mustapha Harun of not supporting the plan to set up United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Sabah. [2] According to the Sabah Constitution at the time, a member of Sabah Legislative Assembly automatically resigned from his seat, if the member were sacked or resigned from the party that he/she represented when winning the seat. [2] This necessitates for by-election for the seat to be held, as the seat were vacated more that 2 years before the expiry of the state assembly current term.

Nomination and campaign

In their bid to retain the seat, USNO nominated Ak Aliuddin Pg Mohd Tahir, a businessman and former member of Parliament for Kimanis from 1977 to 1981, while he were representing Sabah People's United Front (BERJAYA). [3] Aliuddin also contested the seat in the 1986 state election as an independent, losing behind Karim of USNO and George Ng of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). PBS, the current governing party of Sabah, meanwhile nominated Abdul Ghani Bidin @ Gani Bidin, a company secretary, production manager and chief engineer of state-owned Sabah Cement Sdn. Bhd. [3]

After nominations closed, it was confirmed by SPR that there will be a straight fight between PBS and USNO for the Bongawan seat. [3] Although both parties are component parties of federal coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), they were allowed to use their own party name and logo in the state election.

Timeline

The key dates are listed below.

DateEvent
Issue of the Writ of Election
5 September 1987Nomination Day
5-18 September 1987Campaigning Period
Early polling day for postal and overseas voters
19 September 1987Polling Day

Results

Sabah state by-election, 19 September 1987: Bongawan
Upon the resignation of incumbent, Abdul Karim Abdul Ghani
PartyCandidateVotes% ∆%
PBS Abdul Ghani Bidin3,27953.17Increase2.svg 12.90
USNO Pengiran Aliuddin Pengiran Tahir2,83545.97Increase2.svg 3.33
Total valid votes6,11499.14
Total rejected ballots530.86
Unreturned ballots00.00
Turnout6,16768.51Decrease2.svg 8.45
Registered electors9,001
Majority4447.20Increase2.svg 4.83
PBS gain from USNO Swing ?
Source(s)
[1]

Previous result

Sabah state election, 1986 : Bongawan
PartyCandidateVotes% ∆%
USNO Abdul Karim Abdul Ghani2,71542.64Increase2.svg 3.73
PBS George Ng Shee Wah2,56440.27Increase2.svg 2.99
Independent Ak Aliuddin Pg Mohd Tahir68910.82Increase2.svg 10.82
BERJAYA Andrew Mudi1492.34Decrease2.svg 16.61
Independent Chong Ah Tan @ Chong Tuck Foong1422.23Increase2.svg 2.23
Independent Chua Hu Thiam661.04Increase2.svg 1.04
Total valid votes6,32599.34
Total rejected ballots420.66
Unreturned ballots00.00
Turnout6,36776.96Increase2.svg 2.10
Registered electors8,273
Majority1512.37Increase2.svg 0.74
USNO hold Swing
Source(s)
"KEPUTUSAN PILIHAN RAYA UMUM DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI SABAH BAGI TAHUN 1986".

Aftermath

Observers note that USNO's defeat in Bongawan may be caused by selection of Aliuddin as a last minute candidate, against another candidate offered by the party's local branch. [4] Supporters of sacked Karim also may boycott the by-election or supporting PBS candidate as protest against USNO's choice. [4]

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 "PBS CAPTURES BONGAWAN SEAT". New Straits Times. 20 September 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
    2. 1 2 3 4 "Usno expels Bongawan member". New Straits Times. 10 July 1987. p. 2. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
    3. 1 2 3 "PBS AND USNO TO DO POLLS BATTLE". New Straits Times. 6 September 1987. p. 3. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
    4. 1 2 "Usno's defeat in Bongawan was expected". New Straits Times. 21 September 1987. p. 3. Retrieved 29 March 2025.