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5pm: Polling ends and counting of the votes is expected to start soon. A total of 11,157 or 81.65 percent of voters - this includes postal votes - had cast their ballots.

This is similar to the 81.59 percent turnout at the 2008 general election, despite experiencing intermittent rain in Bagan Pinang today.

4.25pm: As at 4pm, voter turnout was 69.5 per cent with 6,301 voters having cast their ballots.

3.30pm: As at 3pm, 65 percent or 5,892 voters have cast their ballots. Polling ends at 5pm. The EC's target of an 80 percent turnout appears unlikely.

2.25pm: As at 2pm, the turnout is 59.2 percent with 5,371 voters having cast their ballots. Voting ends at 5pm.

1.38pm: As at 1pm, turnout rate is 54.1 percent, or 4,905 voters.

NONE 1.12pm: As a result of the massive traffic jams along the narrow roads in Bagan Pinang, Minister of Rural and Regional Development and Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal has decided to ride pillion on a motorbike in his visit to the polling stations ( right ).

12.24pm: As at noon - after four hours of voting - the total turnout is 4,220, or 46.5 percent, from the eight polling stations.

12.05pm: Several supporters from both parties were reportedly arrested following the fracas outside SK Teluk Kemang, where bottles and stones went flying.

NONE 11.35am: A commotion erupted at the SK Teluk Kemang polling station earlier where supporters pelted each other with bottles and stones.

According to a local Puteri Umno leader, the situation is now under control as a large number of policemen, including members of the Federal Reserve Unit, have been deployed. However, she said supporters of both parties continue to hurl insults at each other.

11.30am: As at 11 am, the voter turnout for the Bagan Pinang by-election was recorded at 35.7 percent.

NONE 11.15am A motorcycle convoy involving more than 20 youths with MIC flags have gathered at the SK Panglima Adnan polling centre. Meanwhile, Umno Youth members take swipes at PAS by ridiculing its ' takbir ' (call to praise God) as 'take beer'. They also called the Islamic party as 'Parti Arak SeMalaysia'.

11.05am Isa Samad leaves Bradwall estate after visiting the polling station at a Tamil school where PAS supporters taunted him with chants of ' rasuah ' (bribery). The former MB also told Indian voters, ' Jangan lupa dacing ' (Don't forget the scales as in BN's logo). Isa also said that his chances of a victory are good.

NONE 10. 40am: EC chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusoff says the voting process is taking place smoothly except for some minor issues like voters brandishing party logos. He is also happy with the voter turnout, and hopes that at least 80 percdent will cast their ballots before voting ends at 5pm.

Aziz said that he also informed PAS candidate Zulkefly that apart from the candidates, other members cannot enter the polling stations. "You cannot even bring in your wife."

NONE The EC chief also noted an 'improvement' where supporters of both parties have gathered far apart from each other.

10.25am: As at 10am, the voter turnout for the by-election stood at 23.9 percent, or 2,168 voters.

10.15am: Isa Samad arrives at Ladang Siliau, walks about 150 metres from the main road to the polling centre. PAS supporters at the scene start shouting comments alluding to Isa's money politics conviction by Umno.

10.10am: The situation at the SK Panglima Adnan nomination centre in Kampung Bagan is boisterous with supporters from BN and PAS trading insults.

NONE About 5,000 people have gathered here now. Some Pemuda Umno supporters were seen throwing mineral water bottles across the road where PAS supporters are gathered.

10am: BN candidate Isa Samad is expected to arrive at the SRJK (T) Ladang Siliau nomination centre, causing excitement to the crowd which had gathered at the main road. A small truck of police light strike unit has been deployed here. A police helicopter is also hovering above.

NONE 9.35am: There is a standoff between PAS supporters and Negri Sembilan police chief Osman Sabtu on the latter's instruction for all campaign material to be removed.

PAS' lawyer Abdullah Abdul Karim argued the party members were not flouting the EC laws as these materials were worn or placed outside the 50-metre distance from the polling centres.

The EC laws prohibit campaigning within 50 metres from the polling centres.

NONE 9.30am : PAS candidate Zulkefly visited the SK Panglima Adnan nomination centre in Kampung Bagan. He was accompanied by some PAS supporters. He said he was confident of winning and urged voters to come out to vote.

9.30am: The rain has stopped at Teluk Kumang.

9.15am: It has started raining again, especially in Teluk Kumang and in Sua Betong where voters and shelters are forced to run for shelter.

Earlier report as at 9am

A moody weather and a heavy downpour kicked off the Bagan Pinang by-election in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan this morning. Voting started at 8am and will end at 5pm.

The rain had however stopped as soon as voting started and the weather soon turned bright at most places in this holiday town. A slight drizzle was reported in other parts.

NONE A total of 9,060 voters are eligible to vote for the state seat by-election. Some 4,604 postal voters have cast their votes on Thursday and Friday. The total voters here stand at 13,664.

Eight polling centres with 18 polling streams opened at 8am today to allow the voters to elect their representative.

The eight voting channels are Taman Eastern, Ladang Atherton, Siliau, Ladang Bradwall, Sua Betong, Kg Bagan Pinang, Si Rusa and Teluk Kemang.

The Bagan Pinang by-election is a straight fight between Isa Samad of the Barisan Nasional and Zulkefly Omar of PAS.

bagan pinang voters queue 10102009 The by-election has been necessitated by the death of state assemblyperson, Azman Mohd Noor of the BN, on Sept 4.

Among the first to cast his vote this morning was 70-year-old Kaw Yoh See who was not shy about sharing information on his allegiance.

"I have been supporting BN since I was young," he said, adding that the Chinese community had received many election goodies.

He added that Isa was a good candidate for Chinese community.

Last-minute campaigning stopped

Meanwhile, supporters from both BN and Pakatan have also been seen waiting by the polling centres to lure last-minute support for their candidates.

NONE At certain centres, the opposing supporters traded insults and barbs but the situation remained cordial.

The police, after keeping watch on these supporters for awhile, have asked them to stop canvassing.

The supporters were also asked to remove their vests and party badges.

NONE This was in line with the new EC ruling which barred parties from canvassing near the polling centres.

Negri Sembilan police chief Osman Sabtu told the respective party supporters that they were not allowed to campaign after midnight yesterday.

These supporters were also asked to remove all campaign materials such as T-shirts, umbrellas and handheld fans with party logos.

Result by 8pm

Election Commission chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof had said the result will be known as early as 8pm tonight.

NONE "If all goes well, we should be able to know the result between 7.15pm and 7.30pm.

"But it is better we announce it after the Maghrib (evening) prayers at 8pm when the supporters of both parties will be present," he told reporters after visiting polling centres in Ladang Sua Betong yesterday.

On the weather front, rain is expected to fall throughout the day and voters are urged to come to vote early. Voting will be closed at 5pm.

NONE The police have also set up roadblocks in certain areas since early morning.

As it stands, the former menteri besar Isa appears to be the favourite to retain this seat for the BN and put an end to a series of by-electoral defeats for the federal ruling coalition in the hands of Pakatan Rakyat.

This is the ninth by-election in the country after the March 8, 2008 general election.

azlan Bagan Pinang seat is a traditional BN stronghold. Malays form the majority of the voters with 62.8 percent followed by the Indians (20.7 percent), Chinese (11 percent) and others (5.5 percent).

In 2008, first-term assemblyperson Azman won the seat against PAS' Ramli Ismail with a 2,333 vote majority. He garnered 6,430 votes while PAS had 4,097. Of the postal votes, 3,080 went to BN while PAS got 1,189.

In 2004, BN won this seat with a 4,411-vote majority when its candidate Mohd Faizal Ramli defeated PAS' Hassan Ismail.

Isa, a menteri besar from 1982-2004, was a former six-term elected representative while state PAS chief Zulkefly had contested the Lenggeng state seat on three occasions without any success.

Both the candidates will not be voting today as they are registered as voters elsewhere.

For the record Isa was Linggi assemblyperson for five terms and Jempol MP for one.

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