Chini by-election records 74 per cent voter turnout

The final voter turnout for the Chini state by-election is recorded at 74 per cent, exceeding the 70 per cent target set by the Election Commission (EC).

EC deputy chairman Dr Azmi Shahrom said they were very delighted with the percentage because it showed that the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) was not a hindrance for the voters to come out and fulfil their civil obligation.

“Despite the RMCO and concerns over COVID-19, the voter turnout was still high.

“This was the first time that the EC had to hold an election with special standard operating procedures (SOP) to contain COVID-19 transmission and we are very satisfied with how our officers managed the election process as well as the voters’ cooperation,” he told Bernama when met at the vote tally centre in Pekan National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) here, today.

However, he admitted that it was quite difficult to maintain social distance especially outside of the polling centres due to the large crowd.

Azmi said the experience of managing a by-election during the RMCO would become a guideline in preparing the SOP for future elections, which would be improved through discussions with the Health Ministry.

Chini state constituency has 20,990 voters comprising 10,269 men and 10,721 women.

-- BERNAMA