PAS wins Chempaka by-election with 10,092 majority

PAS candidate, Ahmad Fathan Mahmood@Mahamad has won the Chempaka by-election with a total 10,899 votes and a 10,092 majority.

This was announced by the Chempaka by-election returning officer, Ibrahim Bakri Mat Deris, around 9pm today.

The 42-year-old was the sole candidate tied to a political party. The other four – 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 – were independent.

Sharif garnered 807 votes, Fadzillah received 89 votes, Izat Bukhary obtained 51 votes while Aslah received 27 votes.

The total votes cast today was 12,013 or 55 percent out of the 21,890 ordinary registered voters in the state constituency.

There were 140 spoilt votes today.

The vote tallying process was held at the Dewan Bitara of the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Pengkalan Chepa.

Nine polling centres were opened at 8am today, namely SK Pulau Gajah, SK Sabak, SK Parang Putting, SK Kem, SK Che Deris, SK Seri Chempaka, SMK Badang, SMK Pengkalan Chepa and Sekolah Menengah Agama Tengku Amalin A'ishah Putri Chempaka.

Polling had ended at 5pm.

Ahmad Fathan and his wife, Azizah Hanim Mohd Daud, voted at the polling centre at SMK Pengkalan Chepa at 8.10am. All the independent candidates are not voters in the constituency.

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

It was earlier reported that the voting process for the by-election had ran smoothly today.

The by-election was called following the death of its assemblyman, PAS spiritual leader and former Kelantan menteri besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat on Feb 12. He was 84.