Early voting centre in Dewan Gemilang closes at 5pm

Election Commission (EC) acting director for Penang, Azizal Ahmad said 89.6 per cent of the 597 voters from the police force as well as their spouses came out to vote since the polling station opened at 8am this morning.

"The early voting process at Dewan Gemilang and the Kubang Semang Police Station family quarters, ran smoothly.

"The total turnout was 540 voters or 87.9 percent of the 627 registered voters for early voting," he said when contacted by Bernama, here today.

Meanwhile, the voting process at the Kubang Semang Police Station family quarters closed earlier at 2pm, with a 100 per cent voter turnout (30 people).

Earlier, EC deputy-secretary Datuk Noordin Che Ngah, along with five members of the EC panel visited the two voting centres to witness and monitor the early voting process.

The Permatang Pauh by-election sees a four-cornered fight between Suhaimi Sabudin (Barisan Nasional), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), Azman Shah Othman (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Salleh Isahak (Independent).

The election is being held after the Board of Pardons rejected a royal clemency petition requested by former member of Parliament Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim through his family members, resulting in his disqualification as a representative of the people.

Anwar is serving a five year prison sentence for sodomy conviction.