Updated 5:30pm on 25 Aug 2009
BUKIT MERTAJAM, 25 Aug 2009: Voting in the Permatang Pasir state by-election started off smoothly this morning.
At 5pm when polling ended, voter turnout was 73.1% or 14,832 voters, the Election Commission said. There are a total of 20,289 registered voters in the constituency.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and her husband, party adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, cast their votes at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Penanti here at about 8.30am.
They were accompanied by PAS candidate Mohd Salleh Man.
However, Mohd Salleh and his contender, Rohaizat Othman of Barisan Nasional (BN), are not registered to vote in this state constituency within the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.
The Permatang Pasir seat fell vacant following the death of three-time PAS assemblyperson Datuk Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman from heart failure at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur on 31 July.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Election Commission chairperson Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof visited all polling centres separately.
Speaking to reporters, Abdul Aziz said there was no untoward incident and he hoped the calm situation would remain throughout the day.
Penang police chief Datuk Ayob Yaakob said the situation was under control except for an incident where BN and opposition supporters jeered at each other when Wan Azizah and Anwar cast their votes at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Penanti.
Polling started at 8am and will close at 5pm at 39 polling streams in eight centres.
Voters are expected to come out early to cast their votes as the Meteorological Department forecast rain in certain areas in the afternoon. — Bernama
raymond says
PR under PAS won with 9,712 votes to BN under Umno 5,050 votes. Three cheers for the winner….!!!!!!