Pahang: Perikatan Nasional (PN) has announced that it will not be fielding candidates for the upcoming by-elections in Kinabatangan and Lamag, Sabah. This decision was confirmed by PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man following a meeting of the PN Supreme Council in Kuala Lumpur.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the decision comes in the wake of recent developments regarding the unexpected vacancies in these constituencies. The Election Commission (EC) secretary, Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus, has indicated that a special meeting is scheduled for December 16 to determine the key dates for the by-elections. The vacancies arose following the death of the incumbent Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin on December 5.

Bung Moktar passed away at the age of 66 in a private hospital in Kota Kinabalu. His passing occurred shortly after he was re-elected as the Lamag state assemblyman for a second term. In the 17th Sabah State Election held on November 29, he retained his Lamag state seat with a narrow majority of 153 votes amidst a highly contested six-cornered fight.

In the broader scope of Malaysian politics, Bung Moktar's career is notably marked by his long-standing representation of Kinabatangan as a Member of Parliament. He first won the seat during the 10th General Election in November 1999 and served continuously for six terms.