The Election Commission (EC) today fixed Aug 25 for the Permatang Pasir state seat by-election in Penang. Nominations will be on Aug 17.

The by-election will fall during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan.
Fasting is expected to begin on Aug 21.

NONEEC chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, who made the announcement this morning, said the commission had to conduct the by-election during the fasting month as it was pressed for time.

However he said that only the last stage of the by-election would fall during the fasting month.

"We have decided to have the nomination day before the fasting month and have the by-election during that month.

"If we hold it after the fasting month is over, it would be very close to the 60-day deadline which is on Sept 29," he said.

The state seat fell vacant following the death of its PAS incumbent Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman on July 31. He has been an elected representative for three terms since 1999 and a former state chief PAS for 14 years.

The by-election is set to be a straight fight between arch-rivals PAS and Umno.

Permatang Pasir - which is one of three seats in PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim's Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency - is the sole PAS seat in Penang.

The last time a by-election was held during the fasting month was in the Lunas by-election in 2000. The Sabah state election was also once held during the fasting month in 1994.

The Permatang Pasir by-election is the eighth by-election after the March 2008 general election. It is also the third by-election under the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

According to the latest electoral roll, the state seat has 20290 voters and one postal vote, with 72.36 percent Malays, 25.85 percent Chinese, 1.63 percent Indians and 0.16 percent others. It has also has 300 new voters.

The EC will be using the Dewan Perdana Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara, Bukit Mertajam as nomination centre and for results announcement.

Abdul Aziz said that the EC will be spending about RM550,000 for the by-election.

Results by 8pm

The EC chief also said that the results for the by-election will be announced at 8pm on Aug 25.

"At 8pm sharp (on polling day), if we have the final results, the EC can announce the winning candidate even without his presence and this is done according to the law," he said.

NONEOn another matter, Abdul Aziz also pledged to be stricter in preventing parties from erecting pondok panas (party kiosks) within the parametres of the polling centres.

Recollecting past events, Abdul Aziz said that the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan last month was the tipping point for the commission to come up with the stricter measure.

"Based on our assessment on the videos, photos and reports we received from Kelantan EC, we have decided not to allow any more pondok panas to be set up during the polling day," he said.

More importantly, he said, there should be no more activities of vote canvassing from the supporters on that day.

"Besides, EC have set up our own booths at strategic places...we just do not want to see a lot of supporters crowding the roads and disturbing the voters.

"It is also the fasting month, they should not say nasty things towards each other," said Abdul Aziz.

He said EC will closely collaborate with the police in monitoring the party's agents and supporters on polling day.