JOHOR BARU, Aug 18 — The Election Commission (EC) said today that one individual has so far paid the deposit to stand as a candidate in the Simpang Jeram state seat by-election.

Its director Nor Nekman Jaimon added that as of today, eight nomination forms for Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram by-elections have already been bought.

"The two nomination forms are for Pulai parliamentary by-election, while the remaining six forms are for Simpang Jeram state by-election.

"In addition to that, one individual has also paid the deposit for the Simpang Jeram state by-election,” he said to reporters during a briefing with the media at Johor Tourism Information Centre here.

Nor Nekman said the nomination form was still available until nomination day for the two by-elections.

According to the EC rules and guidelines, the deposit to stand as a candidate in a parliamentary seat is RM10,000, while for a state seat is RM5,000.

On the two coming by-elections, Nor Nekman said as of July 23, a total of 166,653 constituents in the Pulai parliament were eligible to vote, while 40,3769 constituents were eligible to vote in the Simpang Jeram state constituency.

He said there will be 49 polling stations in Pulai with two for early voters, while Simpang Jeram will have 14 polling stations without early voting stations.

"The EC is 80 per cent ready for the two by-elections and we will be fully prepared in a few days time,” he said.

For the coming Pulai by-elections, a total of 2,674 EC officers and staff would be involved, while for Simpang Jeram 674 officers and staff would be attending to the state seat by-elections.

The EC has fixed nomination day for both the Pulai parliament and Simpang Jeram state by-elections for August 26.

Polling day will be on September 9, while early voting on September 5.

The two by-elections were called after former minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who was the incumbent for both seats, died on July 23 due to a brain haemorrhage. He was 61.

Salahuddin was also the Parti Amanah Negara deputy president and had served as the domestic trade and cost of living minister.