NO CLASH BETWEEN UMS CONVOCATION AND SABAH STATE POLLS – AHMAD ZAHID

SHAH ALAM, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- The 27th convocation of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), scheduled for Nov 29, will not interfere with voting for Sabah’s 17th State Election (PRN17) on the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He said the Election Commission (EC) considered all relevant factors before setting the election date, including ensuring the university’s halls would not be used as polling stations and accommodating the upcoming Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams starting Nov 3.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman also noted that as many students are from other states, the convocation will not affect voter turnout.

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“Parents attending the convocation are not solely from Sabah. UMS students come from all over Malaysia, so I do not foresee any issue arising from this,” he told reporters at the ASEAN Sports Industry Expo 2025 here.

The 27th UMS convocation for the 2025 graduates is scheduled from Nov 29 to Dec 2.    

On the postponement of UMNO’s 2025 General Assembly (PAU), Ahmad Zahid said party secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has contacted the Registrar of Societies (RoS) for approval in line with party rules.

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“This is the second postponement. Originally set for August, then Nov 26, it has been rescheduled to January next year due to PRN Sabah polling on Nov 29,” he explained.

The Election Commission has set Nov 15 as nomination day and Nov 25 for early voting for PRN17 Sabah, which will see 73 state seats contested across 25 parliamentary constituencies.

-- BERNAMA