Voters beat the rain as Melaka state polls kick off smoothly

 

VOTERS across Melaka turned out steadily on Saturday (Nov 14) morning under clear skies, racing against forecast afternoon thunderstorms to decide control of all 28 seats in the 16th Melaka State Legislative Assembly.

All 240 ordinary polling centres – comprising 1,213 polling streams – opened on schedule at 8.00am, backed by 299 traffic police personnel deployed to keep surrounding roads clear.

According to the Election Commission (EC), voter turnout rose from 9.24% at 9.00am to 17.96% – or 120,162 ballots cast – by 10.00am, building on Tuesday’s strong 94.96% early-voting turnout.

Scenes of community spirit marked the opening hours, highlighted by 88-year-old social media favourite Vong Fook Hoi, affectionately known as Uncle Vong, arriving to cast his ballot at SK Seri Duyong.

At SJK(C) Yu Hwa in Pengkalan Batu, first-time Barisan Nasional candidate Siti Aisyah Mahmood, 46, arrived accompanied by her 79-year-old mother, while EC personnel escorted senior citizens directly to their polling streams across the state.

Key political figures were among the early birds. Deputy Higher Education Minister and acting Melaka PKR chief Adam Adli Abdul Halim queued up at 7.45am at SK Dato’ Demang Hussin in Bukit Katil.

Caretaker Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ab Rauf Yusoh – who is defending Tanjung Bidara in a straight fight against Pakatan Harapan (PH) debutant Mohd Yunazri Mustamiri – arrived at SK Jeram around 8.30am in a batik shirt, greeting voters before urging Melakans to fulfil their civic responsibilities.

Elsewhere, PH’s Ayer Keroh incumbent Kerk Chee Yee voted at SJK(C) Notre Dame at 8.20am, reminding electors to verify their designated polling stations beforehand.

In Machap Jaya, PH challenger Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin and BN incumbent Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem cast their ballots an hour apart.

In total, 79 candidates are competing for the 28 seats before an electorate of 687,697 registered voters, comprising 675,166 ordinary voters and 12,531 military and police personnel.

Ahead of polling day, independent think tank Ilham Centre projected the BN–Perikatan Nasional alliance to lead in 24 seats – surpassing the 19-seat two-thirds majority mark – on the back of Malay vote consolidation and approval of the state administration.

PH is projected to comfortably retain urban strongholds Kota Laksamana and Bandar Hilir while facing tight contests in Ayer Keroh and Kesidang.

Polling closes at 6.00pm, with the EC targeting a 70% overall turnout and expecting full results before midnight. —  Focus Malaysia