State polls: Voting suspended in Paya Terubong after ballot box found unsealed

Picture by Sin Chew Daily.

GEORGE TOWN: A ballot box in a polling station in Paya Terubong was found to be unsealed and ballot casting for that stream had to be stopped.

A total of 177 ballot papers were already cast into the box when Perikatan Nasional candidate Ooi Ghee Oon discovered the unsealed ballot box in SK Seri Relau.

Sin Chew Daily reported that Ooi declared he would not recognise any of the ballots in that box as valid votes and asked for Election Commission to suspend voting for that stream, which was to have 719 voters.

Perikatan candidate Ooi Ghee Oon looking at the unsealed ballot box with an EC official. Picture by Sin Chew Daily.

It is understood that the seal was left on the table next to the ballot box.

Election Commission officials are investigating and it is not yet known if the 177 ballot papers would be invalidated.