SHAH ALAM - Perikatan Nasional (PN) has successfully retained the Sungai Bakap state seat in Penang, securing a majority of 4,788 votes, according to early unofficial results.
Approximately an hour after ballot counting commenced, PN’s candidate Abidin Ismail reportedly garnered over 14,407 votes, compared to Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Joohari Ariffin, who received about 9,619 votes.
As of 4pm, 57.7 per cent of the 39,151 registered voters had cast their ballots to elect a new representative for the Sg Bakap state constituency.
In total, 39,279 registered voters were eligible to vote in this by-election, including 57 members of the police force.
However, no early voting centres were opened, despite the date being set for July 2 after the EC issued 128 postal ballots to eligible postal voters.
The by-election is a straight fight between Joohari and Abidin.
The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff of Pas on May 24.