PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Polling for the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar parliamentary by-elections will be held on June 18 during the fasting month.

Election Commission Chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said nomination day for both seats will be on June 5. Early voting has been set for June 14.

Fasting for Malaysians starts on June 6.

Mr Mohd Hashim said the two by-elections would cost RM2.7 million (S$914,830) in total.

The seats fell vacant following the deaths of Datuk Noriah Kasnon and Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, the MPs of Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar respectively, in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.

Ms Noriah was Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister while Mr Wan Mohammad Khair-il was chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

They were among six people who perished when the helicopter they were in crashed near the Batang Lupar river while on their way to Kuching from Betong.