No more ballots issued for voters after 5pm cut-off time

PUTRAJAYA: Voters still queuing up within the compounds of polling stations nationwide for GE14 were not allowed to vote after the 5pm cut-off time but any voter affected can file a petition to demand a re-election.

An Election Commission (EC) official told The Star Wednesday that the gazetted time is 5pm and no extensions are provided for voters still queuing in the streams as per rule 23 of the Election (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981.

"Only those who are in the channel (saluran) will be allowed to finish casting their ballots," the official said when met at the EC office in Putrajaya.

Rule 23 states that all polling stations and centres within Malaysia will have the same closing time and no ballot paper shall be issued after that time, but voters who already received a ballot paper can still vote.

"However, these voters (who did not get to vote) can file a petition with the courts after polling day," she said, adding that the EC will conduct a by-election if the courts rule in favour of the petition.

She added that the EC would not extend the polling time despite a joint statement by Pakatan Harapan leaders Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Tan Sri Muhyiddin

Yassin, Mohamad Sabu and Lim Guan Eng requesting the EC to do so.

Earlier, chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said the closing of polls, as gazetted, was 5pm and voters have been given ample notice.

He added that even voters who were queuing in polling stations since 3pm would not be able to vote if their names were not called before the gazetted time of 5pm.

"We even announced today's weather for voters to prepare accordingly," he said.

Polling centres close at 5pm and counting begins soon after. Early results will start trickling in at about 6.30pm. To keep track of results as they come in, go to election.thestar.com.my

For more GE14 news, go to www.thestar.com.my/ge14