TAPAH: The Election Commission (EC) is targeting a voter turnout of more than 70% in the Ayer Kuning state by-election on Saturday (April 26).
EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun has advised voters to come out early to fulfil their responsibilities, in view of the recent erratic weather.
He said for Tuesday's (April 22) early voting, the EC estimates that more than 90% of the 500 eligible voters, consisting of police officers and personnel as well as their spouses, to fulfil their responsibilities.
Ramlan said the early voting process at two polling centres, namely the Senior Officers' Recreation Hall, 3rd Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) in Bidor and the Anggerik Hall of the Tapah district police headquarters housing complex, which opened simultaneously at 8am, has been going smoothly.
"As of 9am this morning, 22.8% of early voters have come out to vote," he told reporters when met at the GOF hall here.
According to Ramlan, all 24 early voters in Tapah are understood to have voted.
The Perak state by-election was held following the death of Barisan Nasional assemblyman Ishsam Shahruddin from a heart attack on Feb 22.
It is seeing a three-cornered contest between Barisan's Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Perikatan Nasional candidate Abd Muhaimin Malek, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate KS Bawani.
The state seat has 31,897 registered voters, consisting of 31,315 ordinary voters and 582 police personnel and their spouses. – Bernama
