Polling for Pulai, Simpang Jeram by-elections on Sept 9 - EC

PUTRAJAYA - The Election Commission (EC) has set the polling for the by-elections for Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state seat in Johor on Sept 9.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh said the nomination and early voting for the two by-elections were also set on Aug 26 and Sept 5, respectively.

He said this at a press conference after chairing the EC’s special meeting on the by-elections here today.

The by-elections are being called due to the unexpected vacancy of the seats following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

Salahuddin, 61, who was the Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, died at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah, a day after undergoing surgery for a brain haemorrhage.

He was 61.

Abdul Ghani said the electoral roll to be used for the by-elections is the latest supplementary electoral roll updated as of July 23.

"The electoral roll for Pulai parliamentary constituency contains the names of 166,653 electors, comprising 165,700 normal electors, 927 police personnel and 26 who were registered as absentee voters, while the electoral roll for Simpang Jeram state seat contains the names of 40,379 electors comprising 40,373 normal electors and six absentee voters," he said.

Abdul Ghani said the application for all categories of postal and absent voters will open from today.

The deadline for the application is Aug 22 for category 1A (election worker/ EC officers/ police/ military/ media personnel); Aug 12 for category 1B (Malaysian citizens abroad); and Aug 15 for category 1C (agency/ organisation).

"Application for postal voting for all those categories will be done online," he said.

The by-elections are being held due to the unexpected vacancy of the seats following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

Salahuddin, 61, who was the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister and Amanah deputy president, died at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah, a day after undergoing surgery for a brain haemorrhage.

Abdul Ghani said the EC offered any government agency, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or bodies interested to become an election observer to see the progress of the by-elections starting from the day candidates are nominated until the election results are announced.

"They are allowed to make observations such as at the nomination centres, polling stations, vote counting centres and official vote tallying centres and must comply with all the appointment conditions that have been set," he said.

More information and application forms can be obtained at the SPR portal at www.spr.gov.my from today ( Aug 3) and the closing date for applications is Aug 15. - BERNAMA