Polling begins in Tanjung Piai

Voting for the keenly fought Tanjung Piai by-election is currently underway.

A resurgent BN and the newly formed Muafakat National are attempting to wrest the seat from Pakatan Harapan which won the seat with a very thin majority in 2018.

There are 52,698 voters in this semi-rural constituency of which 57 percent of voters are Malay, 42 percent are Chinese and about 1 percent are of other races.

LIVE reports of the polling process follow:

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Karmaine among early voters

8.05 - SK Telok Kerang: Pakatan Harapan candidate Kaimaine Sardini is voting in this school. 

He is seen chatting up voters who have been standing in line since 7.30am. 

One of them was Aminah Kasdi, 89, who tuns up to vote in a wheelchair.

The weather for the first half of the day is expected to be good, according to the Meteorological Department. Heavy rain is expected in the afternoon.

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Voting begins

8am - Tanjung Piai: Good morning and welcome to Malaysiakini's live coverage of the voting process for the Tanjung Piai by-election.

A quick recap. Campaigning over the past two weeks has been intense. BN entered the contests as favourites but aggressive groundwork by Pakatan Harapan is believed to have closed the gap.

Many voters approached by Malaysiakini during the campaign said they remain undecided.

Meanwhile, vote canvassers have also expressed concern that the turnout will likely be low, as many outstation voters have indicated to their relatives back home that they are not motivated to return for the vote.

BN is fielding two-term Tanjung Piai MP Wee Jeck Seng, who was ousted last year by the late Dr Md Farid Md Rafik from Bersatu.

Replacing Farid is Tanjung Piai Bersatu chief Karmaine Sardini.

Gerakan has fielded its deputy secretary-general Wendy Subramaniam, and Berjasa its president Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz.

Also contesting are independents Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar. - Mkini