Zzzzzz due to record low turnout
Published: May 31, 2009 9:46 AM | Updated: May 31, 2009 11:29 AM
When the clock struck 5pm, the curtain fell on the Penanti by-election.
None could have been more relieved than the Election Commission's presiding officers and security personnel, who had been trying their very best to stay awake.
When the clock struck 5pm, the curtain fell on the Penanti by-election.
None could have been more relieved than the Election Commission's presiding officers and security personnel, who had been trying their very best to stay awake.
Some however succumbed and were spotted dozing off due to the incredibly low voter turnout in the four-cornered battle between PKR's Mansor Othman and three Independents.
Election monitoring outfit Mafrel said one of its observers reported that one presiding officer at SK Tanah Liat took 40 winks at the voting station.
"This is perhaps the most graphic reflection of low voter turnout," read a posting on its website, which also featured a photo of a police officer enjoying an afternoon siesta.
The Penanti by-election has probably witnessed the lowest voter turnout in election history with less than half (46.15 percent) turning up to cast their ballots.
In the 2008 general election, 82.1 percent of its 15,384 registered voters had made a beeline outside the polling stations.
Don't blame BN
This time around, Barisan Nasional had killed the excitement when it announced that it would not be fielding a candidate for the state seat which is part of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency.
Permatang Pauh is the stronghold of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
The Penanti seat fell vacant following the resignation of PKR incumbent Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin.
In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin dismissed the allegations by the opposition that BN had asked voters not to go out and vote in today's by-election.
"We (BN) did not contest in the by-election, don't tell me that also is wrong," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
According to him, it was unnecessary for the opposition to hurl allegations about BN as the coalition not only did not contest the seat, PKR from early on had been bragging it would win it.
None could have been more relieved than the Election Commission's presiding officers and security personnel, who had been trying their very best to stay awake.
Some however succumbed and were spotted dozing off due to the incredibly low voter turnout in the four-cornered battle between PKR's Mansor Othman and three Independents.Election monitoring outfit Mafrel said one of its observers reported that one presiding officer at SK Tanah Liat took 40 winks at the voting station.
"This is perhaps the most graphic reflection of low voter turnout," read a posting on its website, which also featured a photo of a police officer enjoying an afternoon siesta.
The Penanti by-election has probably witnessed the lowest voter turnout in election history with less than half (46.15 percent) turning up to cast their ballots.
In the 2008 general election, 82.1 percent of its 15,384 registered voters had made a beeline outside the polling stations.
Don't blame BN
This time around, Barisan Nasional had killed the excitement when it announced that it would not be fielding a candidate for the state seat which is part of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency.
Permatang Pauh is the stronghold of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
The Penanti seat fell vacant following the resignation of PKR incumbent Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin.
In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin dismissed the allegations by the opposition that BN had asked voters not to go out and vote in today's by-election.
"We (BN) did not contest in the by-election, don't tell me that also is wrong," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
According to him, it was unnecessary for the opposition to hurl allegations about BN as the coalition not only did not contest the seat, PKR from early on had been bragging it would win it.
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