Rain and floods mar voting in Tenang

8am - 5pm: Polling
6pm: Vote counting begins
8pm: Results expected

[PHOTO GALLERY]

Follow the vote count HERE

Today, 14,753 Tenang voters will cast their ballots to elect their next assemblyperson. Their choice is between Umno’s Azahar Ibrahim, 39, a former assistant district officer and PAS’ Normala Sudirman, 38, a former remedial teacher.

There are 12 polling districts, each with a polling station. This rural state seat in northern Johor consists of three Felda settlements, five traditional Malay kampong, three Chinese new villages, 25 modern residential areas, one government quarters, four Indian estates and two Orang Asli villages.

Malays make up 47.5 percent of the total voters, followed by Chinese (39 percent), Indians (12 percent) and other races (1.3 percent).

Voting is from 8am to 5pm. The vote counting will be done in each polling station soon after the polls are closed. The ballot boxes will then be transferred to the main tally centre - Labis municipal hall - and the final result announced there. The Election Commission expects the results to be known by 9pm.

According to the weather broadcast, morning in Tenang will be chilly and cloudy, to be followed by heavy rain in the afternoon.

It has been raining all day long over the past few days, dampening the final leg of campaigning for the contesting political parties.

The Tenang state seat fell vacant on Jan 17 when its assemblyperson Sulaiman Taha from Umno died due to complication of diabetes.

Tenang, one of the two state seats under the Labis parliamentary seat, has always been a BN stronghold. BN won the seat in the 2004 general election with a 5,517 majority but this was slashed to 2,492 in the 2008 general election.

BN has set a lofty target to win this by-election with a 5,000-vote majority, while Pakatan Rakyat would call it a victory should they manage to further reduce BN’s majority in 2008.

LIVE REPORTS

8.02am: It is raining cats and dogs in Tenang as voters begin trickling into the polling centres in one of the wettest by-election so far.

Both BN and PAS have yet to set up their ‘pondok panas’. The ‘pondok panas’, or 'hot' stalls, in front of the polling centres have not been allowed by the Elections Commission in recent times, but are often crucial to help voters check which polling stations they should be casting their ballots in.

Party workers are on stand-by with their vehicles and umbrellas to fetch voters to the polling stations.

8.15am: At the Kampung Paya Merah multi-purpose hall polling station, Labis MP Chua Tee Yong and BN supporters wait patiently in the rain for the arrival of BN candidate Azahar, who will be casting his ballot there.

The multi-purpose hall serves as the polling station for Bandar Labis Timur polling district - a predominantly Chinese area and one of the three polling districts won by PAS in the 2008 general election. The earliest voters are those fetched in on wheelchairs.

About 50 campaigners, mostly women from BN and PAS with blue and green umbrellas, are outside the polling station, trying to do last-minute canvassing.

Labis MP Chua Tee Yong expects the voter turnout to drop as a result of the wet weather.

"We estimate it to fall to 60 percent or below 60 percent depending on the situation. We hope the rain will stop this afternoon so that more people can come out to vote."

8.30am: Despite the very heavy rain, voters are streaming in slowly but steadily in SK Kampung Tenang (Kampung Redong polling station) with Elections Commission staff in umbrellas and bright yellow ponchos directing the human traffic.

An EC personnel said the turnout looks promising despite the rain. Kampung Redong has 91.5% Malay voters with 69% of the votes going to BN in 2008.

PAS candidate Normala Sudirman is expected to drop by for a visit here soon.

8.41am: At the Kampung Paya Merah multi-purpose hall, Pakatan supporters hoist a banner decrying ‘Pecah Amanah! Kami Tolak Tok Ai (Azahar)’ along with a balloon with ‘Masa Untuk Berubah’ scrawled on it. On the BN side, there is a banner calling on voters to ‘Undilah Barisan Nasional’.

Shouts of "Takbir! Allah Akbar!" could be heard from drenched PAS supporters. Both sides have an equal number of about 60 supporters.

Due to the heavy rain, however, there are no ‘pondok panas’ set up by the political parties nor the usual shouting matches between the campaigners. Many of them, clad in raincoat or holding umbrellas, only wave their campaign material and ask voters to support their respective party.

Voters are coming in very slowly.

8.50am: A number of voters in SK Kg Tenang (Kg Redong polling station) are seen wearing bright orange T-shirts with a small 1Malaysia logo on them.

Asked why they are wearing the T-shirt, a middle-aged woman said: "Ini orang BN."

8.55am: PAS candidate Normala Sudirman arrives at the polling centre in SK Kampung Tenang. Though not a voter in the Tenang state constituency, she nevertheless made her rounds to greet the voters.

Having woken up at 5am, she says she is not nervous but is confident and positive about her chances.

"I believe the voters will make a smart choice."

When asked if the heavy rain would affect the voter turnout, she said it may be a factor, but still hopes for a smooth polling process.

9.16am: Certain parts of the rural outbacks of Kampung Redong has started to flood. Some of the kampung houses are just two inches away from the flood waters entering their homes (left).

9.18am: The police and EC have earlier banned voters from using their own umbrellas at the Kampung Paya Merah multi-purpose hall polling station. All voters were told to leave their umbrellas at the EC tent outside the polling station and were assisted by EC workers to go inside the polling station using EC umbrellas.

However, the ban is now lifted after complaints from some irate voters. Voters are now allowed to bring their umbrellas into the polling station.

9.25am: The Fire and Rescue Department have readied a boat in case of floods in some areas.

9.38am: Although the rain is getting heavier in the polling centre in SK Pekan Air Panas, many of the party workers and supporters are braving the elements in raincoats and umbrellas.

Party supporters are standing on both sides of the main road, turning the area into a sea of blue and green of party colours. Both sides have about 100 supporters.

They also traded barbs at each other, sporadically shouting "Takbir" or "Hidup BN".

In this type of downpour, Malaysiakini estimates flood waters at the height of at least one foot within the next hour in Pekan Ayer Panas.

Malays make up the bulk of the voters in this polling district with 80.4% of them, of whom about 32% voted for PAS in the 2008 general elections.

9.50am: According to sources, the voter turnout for the first hour of voting (between 8am and 9am) is 10.68% or 1,576 voters.

"If there are 10 percent coming out to vote each hour, we can expect an 80 per cent turnout," said EC chief Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof.

8.55am: A drenched BN candidate Mohd Azahar (right) casts his ballot at the Kampung Paya Merah multi-purpose hall.

"What is the first thing I am going to do? I'm going to change my clothes, and then visit all the polling stations," says a confident Azahar.

"I've exercise my responsibility and I hope that the voters, all of them,
will be able to make it."

Azahar, affectionately known as Tok Ai, came to the polling centre with
his grandmother known only as Hajah Esah, 95, who is also a Tenang voter.

Outside, the PAS crowd is shouting, "Jangan lelong tanah saya" (Don't sell off my land), refering to a court case involving Azahar, who was then Batu Pahat assistant land administrator, in the sale of a piece of land without the knowledge of the owner. 

9.55am: Traffic has come to an almost standstill in Felda Tenang. The polling centre is in SK LKTP Tenang.

One of the three Felda settlements in the Tenang constituency, it is considered one of BN's strongest vote banks.

With 96% Malay voters, 79.63% of the voters voted for BN in the 2008 general elections.

Rain continues to pour.

10.20am: PAS candidate Normala Sudirman (right) arrives at SK LKTP Tenang in Felda Tenang, amid jeers and wolf-whistles from BN supporters.

"Is this the wakil rakyat you want? Who never went to university," cried a BN supporter.

In retaliation, the PAS supporters yelled "rasuah, rasuah".

10.35am: The entrance to the polling centre in SK LKTP Tenang is packed like a wet market with both Puteri Umno and PAS workers scrambling to escort voters out from their cars into the polling centre.

The rain shows no signs of letting up.

10.45am: In SMK Kamarul Ariffin, voters arrive along with their umbrellas to cast their ballot. Most of those living in the surrounding area are Chinese.

Minister in Prime Minister’s Department and Gerakan chief Koh Tsu Koon (right) visits the EC tent outside the polling station and takes the opportunity to greet voters.

10.52am: Due to the heavy downpour, some areas in the vicinity of the Kampung Paya Merah multi-purpose hall are flooded. A stretch of 50m of the Segamat Road is submerged with the water level reaching about half a feet.

A traffic police officer is on hand to direct the traffic and to warn motorists if he feels the situation is not safe for cars to proceed. 

11.01am: According to sources, the voter turnout for the first two hours of voting (between 8am and 10am) is a respectable 24.34% or 3,591 voters.

11.23am: At SMK Tenang Station polling station, voters have to wade through a flooded road and then climb 150 metres uphill along the road to reach the secondary school. Still, voters keep pouring in.

The EC has prepared a seven-seater van to send the voters back to the main road where they had park their cars after having cast their ballots.

11.24am: Voter turnout up until 11am is at 38.66%, or 5,703 voters.

11.36am: Parts of Tenang is now being affected by full-blown floods. Deputy Education Minister and MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong sends a photo through Twitter showing flooding along the main Jalan Segamat-Labis road (left).

Meanwhile, MIC Youth chief T Mohan's wife Loges Mohan in a tweet posting said that Civil Defence Department officers have been dispatched to Kampung Tenang to rescue 62 families trapped by the floods. 

11.40am: Flooding along Jalan Segamat, the main road connecting Labis and Tenang Station, is getting worse. If the rain continues to pour, the road could be cut off by the water.

11.52am: Deputy Education Minister Wee in a tweet message says: "The heavy downpour reminded me of Johor Massive Flood in Dec 2006 & Jan 2007. Hope it will not happen again."

DAP leaders appear to be worried by the low turnout as a result of the extremely wet weather.

"Turnout of Chinese voters is very low at Labis. Pls urge ur family or frens to come out to vote!" said a tweet from Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching.

12.30pm: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin holds a press conference in the Labis Education Complex in Bandar Labis Tengah.

He says that due to the flashfloods in several parts of Tenang, the Election Commission has allowed for police and army vehicles to transport voters to the polling centres.

However, his hopes for a voter turnout are now slightly shaken.

"I still hope that the voters will still come out to exercise their rights. If not, I'm sure the turnout will be affected," he says.

Asked about allegations of vote-buying at Tenang Station, the deputy BN chairperson dismisses the claims as 'desperation tactics' by the opposition.

"But it's up to the Election Commission to investigate," he says.

12.40pm: According to EC, the voter turnout as at 12 noon has climbed to almost half, 48.93% or 7,219 voters. Five hours of voting to go before the polling stations close at 5pm.

A vendor, who is pushing a trolley of umbrellas along the shoplots at Jalan Segamat, shouts, "Big umbrella, RM12 each!" He is seeing brisk sale of his umbrellas.

1.10pm: There's a traffic jam at Jalan Tenang, in front of SMK Kamarul Ariffin, the polling center for Bandar Labis Tengah. Vehicles are not moving due to the rain.

Both ends of Jalan Tenang are flooded. The road to Labis town has been cut off by the flood. 

1.12pm: According to poll research outfit Zentrum, BN has bagged 59.5% of the votes while Pakatan Rakyat has 40.5% in the first four hours of balloting.

1.22pm: DAP leaders are beginning to panic with the low Chinese voters turnout. SOS has been sent out by a number of leaders calling for those who have yet to vote to come out.

“Alarming! Chinese areas 20% turnout only; Felda areas already 50%. Pls help us to call up ppl u know in Labis!” decries Serdang MP Teo in a tweet message.

Meanwhile, Dapsy Selangor publicity chief Lim Swee Kuan has lamented in another tweet: “Overall turnout at 3 Cina maj polling districts very low! Labis Tengah 300; Labis Timor 600; Tenang St 200 as of 10.30am.”

1.38pm: The flood has cut off the SMK Kamarul Ariffin, the polling center for Bandar Labis Tengah from the town area. Those registered to vote there are not able to vote at this time.

1.42pm: At 1pm, voter-turnout has reached 55.36 percent, or 8,167 voters.

1.50pm: Civil rescue personnel say the floodwater in front of SMK Kamarul Ariffin, Bandar Labis Tengah have reached chest-level.

1.51pm: Local daily reports EC urging Tenang voters not to believe rumours that voting will be called off due to the floods.

2.14pm: Election Commission chief Abdul Aziz Yusof says polling time won't be extended. Although some roads to polling stations are not accessible, various government agencies are helping to fetch the voters with their heavy vehicles, so no polling stations will be closed, says Abdul Aziz.

2.15pm: Floodwaters on the road in front of SMK Kamarul Ariffin, Bandar Labis Tengah have reached a level of more than 1 metre.

2.16pm: EC deputy chairperson Wan Ahmad Wan Omar tells Malaysiakini that extension of polling time "cannot happen under the law".

2.26pm: DAP says two polling stations are “seriously” affected by floods. Voters cannot reach Dewan Orang Ramai Kg Paya Merah in Labis Timor and SMK Kamarul Ariffin in Bandar Labis Tengah.

2.37pm: As of 2pm, the voter turnout rate is 61.17 percent: 9,025 voters have cast ballots with three hours to go.

2.45pm: Despite the gushing floodwaters, both BN and Pakatan Rakyat supporters stationed near SMK Kamarul Ariffin, Bandar Labis Tengah are in high spirits, mocking and trading good-natured jibes at each other.

BN supporters are singing 'Inilah Barisan Kita' when army trucks pass by. Referring to the rain, Pakatan workers yell "Inilah kerajaan BN di Johor, sampai banjir" (This is BN's work in Johor, resulting in floods).

Meanwhile, botth sides take turns greeting the predominantly Chinese voters with "gong xi fa cai" and "kamsia" (thank you)".

2.55pm: The rain is easing up at SMK Kamarul Ariffin, but traffic on the road has yet to start moving.

DPM Muhyiddin remains at the Komplek Institusi Pendidikan SMK Tenang, where he had a press conference almost three hours earlier. The complex is just beside SMK Kamarul Ariffin.

Arrangements are being made for a truck to bring out Muhyiddin from the complex.

3.18pm: The rain at SMK Kamarul Ariffin getting heavier again.

3.26pm: As of 3pm, 9,618 voters have turned up to vote, equalling 65.19 percent of total voters registered.

3.35pm: DAP's Teo is getting more worried about the low turnout in Chinese areas.

"EC says 65.19% voters have cast their ballots by 3pm. But the turnout at Tenang Station is only 49.27% at 3.30pm - well below average," she decries in a tweet message.

4.01pm: With one hour to go, boats and five trucks from the army and Bomba are deployed to help bring voters to SMK Kamarul Arifin to vote. The polling station has been cut off by floods.

One voter shouts, "The polling centre is closing soon, quick go to vote."

4.30pm: According to PAS organ Harakah, PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar urged EC to put off polling to another day as many places were inaccessible due to the floods.

He demanded EC to make the decision immediately because many voters could not come from their homes to vote.

"Many of the voters have been cut off from the outside world because roads have been closed and some of them are afraid to leave their homes as their area has been flooded," he told Harakah.

4.35pm: As of 4pm, the voter turnout is at 68.68% or 10,133 voters. 

4.43pm: DPM Muhyiddin and entourage leave on two army trucks. He and wife sit in front of one of the vehicles and wave to stranded voters.

This stirred some anger among the villagers because both trucks, which are still relatively empty, refuse to stop to fetch them.

"Apalah," decried one of the villagers, who have been waiting for pick-up from either a truck or a boat.

4.46pm: A number of the three-tonne army trucks are themselves stranded. The water is too high, says a driver.

4.50pm: The old town of Labis, including Chinese new village Pekan Labis, is not spared by the floods.
 
Journalists trapped there says the water level has reached one metre high. The main bridge connecting Labis town and Ladang Labis Utara is also submerged.

5pm: Balloting ends at all 12 polling stations in Tenang. EC decides not to extent the polling time despite the severe rain and floods. 

Counting is expected to begin in about an hour. EC expects results to be out by 8pm.

From a total of 14,753 registered voters, as many as 71.8 percent had come out to vote by the time polling closed this afternoon. It is still pouring in Tenang.

Follow the vote count HERE