Pengkalan Kubor by-election Sept 25, nomination Sept 13

PUTRAJAYA - The Election Commission (EC) has set Sept 25 for the Pengkalan Kubor by-election, with nomination on Sept 13 and early voting on Sept 21.

The announcement was made by EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof after chairing a special meeting on the by-election at the commission's headquarters here.

“The EC will be using the electoral roll from 2013 as well as the updated new voter registration from the first quarter of 2014 until August 20 this year, which brings the total number of voters for the upcoming by-election in Kelantan to 24,039,” he said this includes 109 early voters, 1 overseas voter and 23,929 ordinary voters.

Abdul Aziz said the nomination for the by-election candidate will take place at the Tumpat land and territory operation office while early voting will take place at Dewan Delima at the Tumpat district police headquarters.

The official vote tabulation centre will be at the Dewan Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato’ Biji Wangsa in Tumpat.

Abdul Aziz said a total of 11 schools which comprises 46 voting channels will be used as polling centres. He said the by-election is expected to cost about RM696,750.

Asked on the expected voter turnout for the by-election, Abdul Aziz said based on the Teluk Intan by-election in May, he expected a voter turnout of not more than 70%.

The Pengkalan Kubor by-election in Kelantan will be the fifth by-election this year after the 2013 general elections.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its three term assemblyman Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar from liver cancer on August 20 in China.

Noor Zahidi was also the Tumpat Umno division chairman for four terms. In the last general election, he beat Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Saharun Ibrahim and independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary with a 1,736 vote majority. -Sundaily