PN, Harapan's CM candidates cast their votes

After 12 days of campaigning, Malaccans head to the polls today.

Duking out in this election are the three major coalitions - BN, Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan.

Either coalition must win at least 15 out of the 28 seats up for grabs to gain a simple majority to form the new government.

The state election was triggered by a group of rebel Umno and Bersatu leaders who had tried to bring down their own government amid an internal tussle.

However, Umno's incumbent chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali blocked their attempt to form a new government with the opposition by seeking a dissolution of the state assembly on Oct 4, paving the way for fresh polls.

We brings you the highlights of voting day until polls close at 5pm.

Adly Zahari with his wife

Harapan's CM candidate votes

8.25am: SK Durian Tunggal - Pakatan Harapan's chief ministerial candidate Adly Zahari, clad in a white shirt and blue mask, arrives with his wife to cast his vote.

There is already a long queue here since the polls opened.

Political parties have urged voters to go out early in anticipation of thunderstorms in the afternoon despite the Election Commission urging voters to spread out their attendance throughout the day to avoid crowds.

Amanah's Adly is defending his Bukit Katil seat but is a voter in Durian Tunggal where his party colleague Mohd Sofi Abdul Wahab is also defending the seat.

After voting, Adly shows his inked finger. Election officials encourage all voters to leave the scene upon voting.

Speaking to the media, Adly urges voters to come out to vote earlier.

"Yes, it is cloudy, but I think it will be better in the noon. We hope the votes to come out to vote as soon as possible," he says.

In the 2018 general election, Mohd Sofi won durian Tunggal with only a 763-vote majority. He garnered 5,213 votes to BN's 4,450 votes and PAS' 1,391 votes.

In this election, Sofi is facing BN's Zhari Abd Kalil, PN's Ja'afar Othman and independent candidate Mohd Erfan Mahrilar.

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Perikatan Nasional candidate for Tanjung Bidara Mas Ermieyati Samsudin

PN's CM candidate casts her vote

8.15am: SK Ramuan China Besar, Masjid Tanah - Perikatan Nasional candidate for Tanjung Bidara Mas Ermieyati Samsudin exits the polling station after casting her vote.

Mas, who is also the PN chief minister candidate, says she is happy to see the polling process has started smoothly and hopes that voters will come out in droves to cast their votes.

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Polls open under strict Covid-19 SOP

8am: Voting begins for all 28 state seats in Malacca. There are a total of 495,195 eligible voters. They will vote at 217 polling stations across the state.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department forecasts clear skies in the Melaka Tengah, Jasin and Alor Gajah districts but expects state-wide thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The polls today will be conducted under strict standard operating procedures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

All voters must wear a face mask, practise social distancing, record their body temperature and scan the MySejahtera QR code at the polling station.

Those with a body temperature of 37.5 degrees Celcius will still be allowed to vote but must cast their vote at a segregated tent after which they will be examined by health officials.

On Nov 16, a total of 11,557 registered early voters comprising military personnel and their spouses and police personnel have also voted. - Mkini