Sarawak Polls: Abang Jo wins in style in Gedong

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg scored a resounding victory in the Sarawak state election today, sweeping the Gedong seat with a huge 3,607-vote majority win over his three challengers.

The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate garnered 4,310 votes, defeating the three new faces - Mohamad Sofian Fariz Sharbini of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) who obtained 703 votes; Kamal Bujang of Parti Amanah Negara (94 votes) and Parti Bumi Kenyalang's Tomson Ango (157 votes).

Kamal and Tomson lost their deposits.

The official results were announced by the Election Commission.

This is Abang Johari's maiden contest in Gedong after switching from his traditional Satok seat, where he served nine terms.

The Gedong seat, which has a total of 7,208 voters comprising 3,508 men and 3,700 women, comes under the Batang Sadong parliamentary constituency and is about an hour and a half's drive from the state capital.

About 60 per cent of voters in the constituency are Malays, 30 per cent Iban and 10 per cent other ethnicities.

Gedong is one of 11 new state seats created in a redelineation exercise in 2015.

-- BERNAMA