Chempaka by-election: Polling closes at 5pm

Polling in the Chempaka state by-election today closed at 5pm.

Polling had opened at 8am at nine centres, namely Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pulau Gajah; SK Sabak; SK Parang Puting; SK Kem; SK Che Deris; SK Seri Chempaka; Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Badang; SMK Pengkalan Chepa and Sekolah Menengah Agama Tengku Amalin A'ishah Putri Chempaka.

According to the Elections Commission, the result is expected to be announced at 9.30pm.

The Chempaka by-election is a five-cornered contest among a PAS candidate, Ahmad Fathan Mahmood alias Mahamad, 42, who is the Ulama Affairs chief in the constituency, and four independent candidates.

The independent candidates are former lecturer Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary, 48; former Kelantan Perkasa vice-president Sharif Mahmood, 59; Pertubuhan Keturunan Paduka Raja Cik Siti Wan Kembang president Fadzillah Hussin, 55, and businessman Aslah Mamat, 64.

The by-election has been necessitated by the death of the assemblyman, PAS spiritual leader and former Kelantan menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat on Feb 12 at the age of 84.

Early voting was held on March 18 for 1,497 soldiers and their spouses. The turnout was 530 or 35.4 percent.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) has opted out of the by-election, choosing to focus instead on the massive rehabilitation work after Kelantan was hit by extraordinary floods in December last year.