Johor polls: Smooth voting process as at 11 am

JOHOR BAHRU: The voting process for the Johor state election proceeded smoothly as of 11 am today, with voters present at the polling centres complying with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The Election Commission (EC) has reported a 13 per cent of voter turnout as of 10 am.

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman have cast their ballots for the Maharani seat, at the polling centre at the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sri Muar, Muar at about 9 am.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Duties) Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad and his parents voted at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Mersing for the Endau state seat.

Several candidates contesting in the Johor polls were also spotted at their respective polling centres to cast their ballots, including Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) candidate for the Kempas seat, Nornekman Osman; Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Kota Iskandar seat, Pandak Ahmad, and BN candidate for Semarang seat, Datuk Samsolbari Jamali.

"I always pray for my son's success," said Nornekman's mother, Datin Nora Md Som, who is also the widow of former Johor menteri besar Datuk Osman Sapian, after voting at the polling centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Larkin (1) here.

Osman served as Kempas assemblyman from 1993 till 2013 and from 2018 till his death on Dec 21, last year.

Nornekman is up against his six opponents for the seat, including BN candidate Datuk Ramlee Bohani, PKR candidate Napsiah Khamis @ Maharan; Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Nur Faizal Abdullah and Independent candidates, namely, private school teacher Mohd Azwan Abd Rahman, former village head Hambali Munadi, and contractor Mohd Suhimi A Rahman.

While busy covering the Johor polls, some media personnel also exercised their rights as voters to cast ballots at their respective polling centres.

Among them are Bernama staff, namely Suhanie Mohd Khalid at the SMK Sri Kluang in Kluang, R. Vikneswaran at SMK Dato' Abdul Rahman Andak in Simpang Renggam and Hilmizudin Daud at Sekolah Agama Dato' Sulaiman Menteri here.

-- BERNAMA