AYER KUNING BY-ELECTION: EC TARGETS OVER 70 PCT TURNOUT ON SATURDAY

TAPAH, April 22 (Bernama) -- The Election Commission (EC) is targeting a voter turnout of more than 70 per cent in the Ayer Kuning state by-election this Saturday.

EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun has advised voters to come out early to fulfil their responsibilities on April 26 due to the recent erratic weather.

He said for today's early voting, his party is targeting more than 90 per cent of the 500 voters, consisting of police officers and personnel as well as their spouses, to fulfil their responsibilities.

Ramlan said the early voting process at two polling centres, namely the Senior Officers' Recreation Hall, 3rd Battalion of the General Operations Force (PGA) in Bidor and the Anggerik Hall of Tapah district police headquarters (IPD) housing complex, which opened simultaneously at 8 am this morning, has been going smoothly so far.

"As of 9 am this morning, 22.8 per cent of early voters have turned out to vote," he told reporters when met at the Senior Officers' Recreation Hall of Battalion 3, PGA here today.

According to Ramlan, all 24 early voters in IPD Tapah are understood to have completed their responsibilities.

The Ayer Kuning state by-election was held following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin due to a heart attack on Feb 22.

It is seeing a three-cornered contest between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Abd Muhaimin Malek and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate Bawani KS.

The Ayer Kuning state seat has 31,897 registered voters, consisting of 31,315 ordinary voters and 582 police personnel and their spouses.

-- BERNAMA