Polling over, PKR man set to win

Polling at the Penanti state seat by-election ended at 5pm with a very low voter turnout.

The turnout at the end of the polling period stood at only 46.15 percent - meaning only about 7,100 of 15,384 voters had come out to vote.

This is a sharp fall from the 82.1 percent voter turnout achieved in the last general election.

One reason cited for the poor turnout - believed to be a record low - was Umno's decision not to contest in the by-election.

As a result, PKR's Mansor Othman had to compete with three independents for the seat.

PKR leaders are quietly confident that their candidate would be able to retain the seat with a higher majority.

In the 2008 general election, the party obtained a 2,219-vote majority.

Official results are expected as early as 7pm.

The by-election got off to a very slow start when polling opened at 8am today.

After the first two hours of voting, the turnout was at 14.6 percent - which meant 2,252 voters had voted by then.

And by 11am, about 23.5 percent of voters - 3,590 people - had voted.

At noon, the turnout was at about 29.86 percent, or 4,593 voters, and at 2pm, it was 38.77 percent (5,964 voters).

The voter turnout increased to 42.2 percent at 3pm, meaning 6,492 of 15,384 people had voted at the point of time.

The EC had initially predicted a 70 percent turnout.

Anwar acknowledges low turnout

Earlier today, PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged that the voter turnout had been lower by at least five percent in first three hours of voting compared with the same corresponding period in last August's Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election and 2008 general election.

According to unofficial EC sources, the previous corresponding period in both the two elections recorded between 35 percent and 38 percent voter turnout respectively in first three hours of voting.

PKR's election director Saifuddin Nasution expressed optimism that PKR candidate Mansor Othman could secure 7,000 votes from the party's hardcore supporters, which could then give him a majority win of more than 5,000 votes.

"I would be happy then," he told Malaysiakini, acknowledging that balloting process had been slow so far.

PKR's Batu Maung state assemblyperson Abdul Malik Kassim however was confident that record number of voters would come out to vote by 5pm.

He also said that PKR's candidate Mansor will win with a record majority.

PKR out to get more voters

The party's strategy director Tian Chua also said earlier in the day that efforts were being undertaken to mobilise the voters to come out to vote in the afternoon.

"We will go to voters' house to bring them out to polling centres," he said.

He also said that the low turnout might be due to the voters thinking that PKR would easily win this by-election.

Earlier in the day, police officers, journalists, cameraman and election workers were seen outnumbering voters at polling stations in Berapit, Kubang Ulu, Tanah Liat, Guar Perahu and Mengkuang areas.

The atmosphere near the polling centres have also been reported to be calm and quiet. Not many party flags were visible. The police are however maintaining a close watch on these centres.

The only political party to contest in this by-election, PKR, has set up polling booths at the polling centres despite a ban on such booths by the Election Commission.

However, the PKR workers are only checking the voters list for potential voters at these centres. There are no last-minute campaigning being undertaken by them. [See video]

The three independent candidates however did not have any presence at the polling centres to woo voters.

The contest sees PKR's Mansor fighting against independents Aminah Abdullah, Nai Khan Ari and Kamarul Ramizu Idris for the seat.

Nai Khan (in red shirt) cast his vote at the Dewan Orang Ramai dan Tadika Tun Sardon at 8.49am. He was accompanied by a handful of supporters. [See video]

His attempt to hold a press conference outside the polling centre after casting his vote was stopped by the police.

Nai Khan is the only candidate who will be voting today. The others are voters in other areas.

Some PKR officials are saying that Nai Khan would fare better than the other two independent candidates.

"He (Nai Khan) may get more than 300 votes due to his Barisan Nasional and Thai roots," predicted a local PKR leader from Permatang Pauh.

Umno rejects boycott claims

Mansor, meanwhile, was making his rounds since voting started. He had gathered at the party's operations centre with other leaders and undertook a visit to all polling centres.

Likewise, other Pakatan leaders, including Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng and DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang too had been visiting polling centres.

Traditional rival Umno has opted to sit out of this by-election but its shadow looms large over the contest.

PKR leaders have claimed - and lodged a police report yesterday - that Umno was urging its members to boycott the by-election.

This was however denied by the Umno's state deputy chief Zainal Abidin Osman.

"We have never forced our members not to cast their votes in the by-election. It is up to them to use their discretion to make the right decision," he had said.

He also rejected claims that the party would be taking its members in Penanti for a holiday in Thailand today.

The commission has also tested out a pilot project in this by-election by enforcing the prohibition on campaigning on polling day, including preventing those contesting from canvassing for votes or erecting polling booths.

The Meteorological Department had said that it expected rain and thunder storms in the morning and 'shower rain' in the afternoon but the weather was fine throughout the day.

And the state police chief Ayub Yaakub meanwhile warned supporters against organising a victory parade when the result was announced.