Vote-fishing? Penang exco barred from entering polling centre

Penang state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh was barred from entering a polling centre here during the Bukit Gelugor by-election today for fear that he might be fishing for votes.

Phee, who is State Welfare, Environment and Caring Society Committee chairman, who arrived at SMK Air Itam around 9am to wait for DAP's candidate Ramkarpal Singh's visit, was stopped from entering the centre by an Election Commission (EC) official.

He was spotted in his Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) purple vest standing outside the polling centre.

Phee, who is also Sungai Puyu assemblyman, said certain voters were confused over directions and he was just showing them the way in the school.

"I believe the voters have already made up their mind about who to vote for before entering the centre," he said.

Ramkarpal is involved in a four-corner fight against Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan and two independent candidates, Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan and Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abdul Sathar.

The polling centre was opened at 8am today and is expected to close at 5pm.

The Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat fell vacant when incumbent Karpal Singh, who was also former DAP chairman, died in a road accident on April 17.