GEORGE TOWN, May 22 – The percentage of early voting turnout for the Bukit Gelugor Parliamentary by-election in four polling booths was 83.1 per cent, said the Election Commission (EC). Pulau Pinang EC acting director Azizal Ahmad said after the period for early voting closed at 2 pm, only 123 voters out of the total 146 police and military personnel had exercised their rights to vote. The early voting involved four voting centres at Region One Marine Operations headquarters Kemas kindergarten in Batu Uban, Air Itam police station information room, Bandar Baharu police station information room and KD Sri Pinang navy headquarters in Gelugor.
Azizal said the ballot boxes would be kept at the Pulau Tikus station lockup here until the official ballot counting day this Sunday. Bukit Gelugor Parliamentary by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Karpal Singh from DAP in a road accident in Km 306.1 North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung in Kampar, Perak last April 17. It will see a four-cornered fight between DAP candidate Ramkarpal Singh Deo, Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan and two independent candidates Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abdul Sathar and Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan. EC has set May 25 for polling day for the 82,283 ordinary voters.
