TUMPAT, Sept 25 — The voter turnout in Pengkalan Kubor at 54 per cent by noon today, was the highest recorded for the first four hours of voting among all the by-elections held after the 13th general election in May, last year.

Election Commission (EC) chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said more than half (54 per cent) or 12,945 of the 23,929 voters had voted by noon today.

“I am satisfied with the voter turnout so far and if this trend continues until the closing time (5pm), the EC expects the total percentage to exceed 70 per cent, as what we’ve targeted,” he said when visiting the polling centre at the Tumpat Mara Junior Science College, here.

He said the EC expected only 10 per cent of voters to vote within each hour but the turnout was 15 per cent per hour, and this was a positive sign.

He, however, expected the voter turnout to drop a bit towards evening due to the weather forecast of rain later in Pengkalan Kubor and the surrounding areas.

On police reports lodged during the by-election campaign period, Abdul Aziz said the EC had received seven police reports, four on them on putting up of party flags and the rest on campaign posters and ceramah (public talks).

Meanwhile, Royal Malaysian Police media officer for the by-election, ACP Dahlan Mohd Noor said the voting process went on smoothly except for small incidents of commotion due to provocation involving supporters of the contesting parties.

“But the situation in under control by police while traffic flow is rather slow due to party supporters gathered along the road shoulders to appeal for support from the voters.

In the 13th general election, the voter turnout in the Pengkalan Kubor state constituency was 79 per cent.

In this by-election, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mat Razi Mat Ail is being challenged by Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim from PAS and Independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary.

The by-election is held following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar from BN, on August 20. — Bernama