CHUKAI – All 49 polling centres and 244 polling streams for the Kemaman by-election will open at 8am today.
The polling stations in four districts – Kemasik, Kijal, Chukai and Air Putih – will close at 6pm.
The by-election process will involve 2,102 staff of the Election Commission, who will be on duty to ensure 141,043 eligible voters cast their ballots.
Due to the floods, all 387 Royal Malaysia Police and six military personnel eligible for early voting were directed to vote by post because their services and focus were required in flood situations.
Therefore, the early voting on November 28 saw only the spouses of three military personnel casting their ballots at the Kijal police station.
The by-election sees a one-on-one clash between Barisan Nasional candidate Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, representing PAS.
It is being held following the decision of the Terengganu Election Court on September 26, which annulled the victory of PAS candidate Che Alias Hamid in the 15th general election.
Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh expects a turnout of up to 70% for the by-election, but it would also depend on the weather condition, as it is forecast to rain all day long.
The Kemaman by-election is the sixth by-election following GE15 on November 19 last year, with the first one being the Kuala Terengganu (parliamentary seat) on August 12, followed by the Pulai (parliamentary seat) and Simpang Jeram (state seat) on September 9, Pelangai (state seat) on October 7, and Jepak (parliamentary seat) on November 4. – December 2, 2023