The Barisan Nasional (BN) representative in the Tanjong Datu state by-election is Jamilah Anu.

Her son Azizul Annuar Adenan said most of the residents clearly felt the loss and missed his father.

He said there were also moments of sadness during the campaigning, especially when an event was marked with a minute of silence in honour of the late Adenan.

The Tanjong Datu by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent Adenan from heart complications on Jan 11 at the Sarawak Heart Centre, Kota Samarahan.

The by-election is a three-cornered contest between Jamilah Anu, who is Adenan’s widow, Johnny Aput of State Reform Party Sarawak (Star) and Rapelson Richard Hamit of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Baru.

All 16 polling centres for the by-election opened at 8am today for 9,771 voters. The process was going on smoothly despite a drizzle in the morning.

188 or 1.9% of 9,959 voters had on Feb 12 cast their ballot at two early voting centres.

In the 11th Sarawak state election last May, Adenan got 6,360 votes defeating PKR candidate, Jazolkipli Numan with a majority of 5,892 votes.

Azizul, who was met at the SJK Chung Hua here when inspecting the polling process this morning, also voiced confidence that the voters of Tanjong Datu would make the right choice to continue to be with the current leadership.