‘70PC VOTER TURNOUT EXPECTED’
Voters’ sentiment not the same as GE14, says EC deputy chief
THE Election Commission (EC) is expecting a voter turnout of 70 per cent for both the Balakong and Seri Setia by-elections on Saturday.
EC deputy chairman Tan Sri Othman Mahmood said with four more days left before polling day, EC had been galvanising efforts to promote a bigger voter turnout.
He said EC had set a bigger target than the 49.8 per cent turnout that was recorded during the Sungai Kandis by-election.
“However, the expected outcome (at 70 per cent) is only an estimation. We do understand that (the sentiment) is not the same as the 14th General Election.
“In our efforts to promote a bigger turnout, we have carried out several initiatives, including deploying our mobile units to create such an awareness.
“We have requested candidates to remind voters that polling day is on Saturday,” Othman said after visiting the early voting centre for the Seri Setia by-election at Ababil Multipurpose Hall in the Subang Airbase here yesterday.
The Balakong and Seri Setia seats each has 62,219 and 52,650 registered voters, respectively.
On the early voting carried out yesterday, Othman said there were 2,770 early voters including 173 police personnel.
In Balakong, all 31 early voters, who were police personnel, cast their votes at the voting centre at the Seri Kembangan police station staff quarters before noon.
Othman said he had yet to receive any report of untoward incidents or offences during the polling yesterday.
“We have yet to receive any official reports, but there are some claims of offences occurring as posted on Facebook. Hence, we urge the people to lodge official reports if there are such cases.”
The Seri Setia seat fell vacant after its incumbent Professor Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin died of cancer on Aug 2.
In the 14th General Election, Shaharuddin, who was a PKR vice-president, secured the seat with a majority of 19,372 votes, beating three other candidates from BN, Pas and an independent.
The Balakong seat fell vacant following the death of its assemblyman Ng Tien Chee in an accident at Km11.7 of the Grand Saga Highway on July 20.
Ng retained the seat for the second term after beating candidates from BN and Pas with a majority of 35,538 votes in GE14.