TUMPAT, Sept 25 — Up to 73 per cent of the 23,929 voters had cast their ballots at the 11 polling centres in the Pengkalan Kubor state by-election when polling closed at 5pm today, according to the Election Commission (EC).  

The EC said the tallying of votes would be conducted at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Biji Wangsa here and the results of the by-election were expected to be announced as early as 9pm.

The by-election is a three-cornered contest among Mat Razi Mat Ail of the BN, Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim of PAS and independent Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.           

It is being held following the death of the three-term assemblyman, Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar of the BN, on August 20.

Noor Zahidi had retained the seat in the general election held last year with a majority of 1,736 votes, beating Saharun Ibrahim of PKR and Izat Bukhary. — Bernama