PORT DICKSON, 11 Oct 2009: Balloting for the Bagan Pinang by-election began as soon as polling centres opened at 8am.
Most of the 13,664 voters, not including the 4,604 postal voters that had been cast earlier, were expected to vote early. They will be choosing a new state assemblyperson for the state seat which became vacant after Azman Mohammad Noor of Barisan Nasional (BN) died on 4 Sept.
The two candidates contesting today are Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, 59, of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, 45, of PAS. Neither are voters in the constituency.
In the March 2008 general election, Azman, who was Teluk Kemang Umno deputy chief, won the seat with a majority of 2,333 votes, beating PAS candidate Ramli Ismail. Azman had polled 6,430 votes against Ramli’s 4,097.
Bagan Pinang is one of five state seats under the Teluk Kemang parliamentary constituency. The others are Chuah, Lukut, Linggi and Port Dickson.
Police have advised voters today to follow instructions to ensure smooth traffic flow as congestion is expected because tourists flock to the beaches here on the weekends.
The EC expects an 80% voter turnout today by the time balloting closes at 5pm. This will be followed by vote counting at eight polling centres.
The votes will be tallied at Dewan MPPD here with the result to be known earliest by 8pm. There are eight polling centres comprising 18 streams in this by-election that is being supervised by the Election Commission (EC).
The EC here is being helmed by returning officer Abdul Wahab Shamsuddin who is also Port Dickson Municipal Council (MPPD) president. — Bernama
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