KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Kelantan has declared a state holiday on September 25 in a bid to encourage voters to participate in the Pengkalan Kubor by-election then.

Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakub, who made the announcement on his Facebook page today, said the move was taken with the “welfare of voters in mind”.

“Voting on a working day is indeed difficult for the people and this is something which the federal government should have looked into, especially those in the government and private sectors.

“As the head of the state government who prioritises the welfare of the people, I therefore declare September 25 as a state holiday for Kelantan,” Ahmad said in his posting.

The by-election was triggered by the death of three-term assemblyman, Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar of Umno on August 20.

The poll will be a three-way fight between Umno’s Mat Razi Mat Ali, PAS’s Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim and independent Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary