TUMPAT: The Pengkalan Kubor by-election recorded a 72% turnout at 4pm Thursday.
Earlier. Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said he was satisfied with the turnout so far with over 54% recorded at 2pm.
“If this trend continues until the closing time (5pm), the EC expects the total percentage to exceed 70%, as what we’ve targeted,” he said.
He said the EC expected only 10% of voters to vote within each hour but the turnout was 15% 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.
In the 13th general election, the voter turnout was 79%.
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 Aug 20.
