EC denies early vote count at constituency

PETALING JAYA: Ballots from the early voting in Bagan Datuk will only be counted from 4pm on polling day, said the Election Commission (EC).

Denying claims that the ballots had already been counted, EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah also condemned the disturbance caused by a group of people, including a candidate, at the polling centre in Kem Hutan Melintang.

“The group created a ruckus because they claimed that there was misappropriation in the safekeeping of the votes.

“This is not true as the process to count the early votes will only begin at 4pm on polling day,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said in the meantime, the votes were being securely held at the Hutan Melintang police station.

“All the procedures were followed by the EC staff during the early voting process in front of the candidates’ agents.

“When it is time to start counting the votes, we will get all the relevant people to be present and monitor the counting process, including the candidates,” he said.

Hashim said the early voting in Kem Hutan Melintang on Saturday saw 1,541 registered voters, 508 of whom opted for postal voting.

“Of the remaining 1,033 early voters, only 825 turned up,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is defending the Bagan Datuk parliament seat against PAS’ Ata Abdul Muneim Hassan Adli and Pakatan Harapan’s Pakhrurrazi Arshad.