Kota kinabalu: The voting process for the 17th Sabah state election has proceeded smoothly and under control with no major incidents reported as of noon, said Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail. Mohd Khalid noted that early monitoring at several polling centres showed an orderly process since voting began at 7.30 am.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Inspector-General stated, "Overall, the situation has been good, orderly, and under control. There have been no major issues that could raise doubts or concerns among the public. The discipline and maturity of the voters in Sabah have also contributed to the smooth running of today's democratic process." These remarks were made during a press conference after he observed the voting process at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Chung Hwa.

As of noon, police had received 157 reports related to election offences, primarily involving actions such as removing flags, damaging posters, and political provocations. Out of these reports, 86 investigation papers had been opened and referred to the deputy public prosecutor for further action. Several cases have also been forwarded to the Election Commission (EC) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), particularly concerning social media issues such as defamation and provocation.

Mohd Khalid emphasized that action would be taken against anyone violating the law or disrupting public order during the voting process. He urged voters to cast their votes early to avoid congestion or adverse weather conditions, noting that while the weather has been good so far, the sky is starting to cloud over.

He assured that the entire Sabah state election is under full control, with the police committed to ensuring that the democratic process is carried out peacefully until voting concludes. A total of 596 candidates are contesting for 73 state seats in this election.