Polling closes in Kuala Besut state by-election

Polling has closed in the Kuala Besut state by-election. Seven of the eight polling stations closed at 5 pm today while the only polling station on Perhentian Island, at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Perhentian, closed at 3 pm. The seven other polling stations were at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Kuala Besut; Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kuala Besut; SK Alor Peroi; SK Kampung Nangka; SK Kampung Nail; SK Kampung Baharu and SK Bukit Puteri. The official result of the by-election is expected to be announced only after 10 pm today to enable Muslim leaders and supporters of the contesting parties to perform their 'tarawih' prayers of the Ramadan fasting month. Engineer Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman, 37, is defending the seat for the Barisan Nasional (BN) and faces a challenge from businessman Endot alias Azlan Yusof, 48, of PAS. The Kuala Besut seat fell vacant on June 26 following the death of assemblyman Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar. He had won the seat with a 2,434 majority in the general election, on May 5, by beating Napisah Ismail of PAS.