Updated 10:12pm, 7 April 2009
BN and PAS supporters out and about on polling day (Pic by Raj Kumar, courtesy of theSun)
7:11pm The Election Commission (EC) says turnout for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election is 75.1%. Ballot boxes have begun arriving at the vote tallying centre at Taiping Municipal Hall.
7:15pm Unofficial results put PAS in the lead — estimates by PAS based on tally by the candidate’s agents who witnessed counting at voting centres.
7:22pm EC announces results of the postal votes: BN (258), PAS (57), Independent (0).
7:25pm EC announcing results by polling stream. So far, the BN has won in Saluran 1 voters, i.e. those aged 55 and above.
7:34pm EC results show PAS has a big lead in the Chinese polling district of Kuala Sepetang. Current official tally of the votes is BN 3,096; PAS 3,705; Independent 10.
7:45pm Official count: BN 4,828; PAS 5,833; Independent 14.
7:46pm BN 6,477; PAS 7,847; Independent 18.
7:55pm Official tally: BN 7,740, PAS 9,761, Independent 25.
8:04pm Official tally: BN 9,396, PAS 12,064, Independent 30.
8:15pm EC confirms that the total voter turnout was 75.1%, with 41,626 votes cast. Official tally now stands at BN 13,079; PAS 15,770; Independent 42.
8:24pm Official tally: PAS leads BN by 3022 votes. BN: 15,859; PAS 18,881; Independent 51.
8:27pm EC chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusuf has just arrived at the tally centre, reports The Edge.
8:31pm More PAS supporters reportedly on the way to the vote tallying centre to celebrate. There are already more than a thousand supporters outside the centre. There are 16 more polling streams to be counted.
8:42pm PPP president Datuk M Kayveas is the only BN leader who has turned up at the tallying centre.
9:04pm Unofficial results have PAS’s Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin winning the seat with a 2,000 plus majority over BN’s Ismail Saffian.The embattled menteri besar is on his way to the centre, reports The Edge.
9:09pm DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Perak DAP chairperson Ngeh Koo Ham and Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming arrive at vote-tallying centre. More PAS supporters crowd outside the centre.
9:14pm It’s official: PAS retains the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat with a majority of 2,789 votes. Mohammad Nizar of PAS received 21,860 votes, BN’s Ismail Saffian received 19,071 votes; Independent candidate Kamarul Ramizu Idris, 62. There are 456 spoilt votes.
9:29pm Fireworks are let off as news of PAS’s victory spreads.
9:39pm PAS’s Mohammad Nizar arrives at vote tallying centre to be greeted by jubilant supporters. EC returning officer Mahmud Marsudi makes the official announcement. Neither BN’s Ismail Saffian nor independent candidate Kamarul Ramizu Idris are at the centre.
10:12pm: Mohammad Nizar, at a press conference, says his win is a strong signal to the federal government that the people reject corruption and injustice. 
| Bukit Gantang |
||
| CANDIDATE | PARTY | VOTES |
| Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin | PAS | 21,860 |
| Ismail Saffian | BN | 19,071 |
| Kamarul Ramizu Idris | Independent | 62 |
Cheng Poh Heng says
Voters of Bukit Gantang have shown in no uncertain terms how they despise and detest the illegal “power grab” by BN in early February this year.
So did the voters of Bukit Selambau. Power to the People! May the new PM and “apa nama dia” eat humble pie, but these two do not know how to be humble. Hidup Rakyat!
Najib Tun Razak says
Najib “stole” Nizar’s job as MB. Now Nizar won the powerful right to go into Parliament to question the PM.
Wendy Joon says
This is the “suara rakyat”. If our country believes in a democracy, then please listen to the voice of the rakyat.