CHUKAI, Dec 2 ― All 49 polling centres and 244 polling streams for the Kemaman by-election will open at 8am today.

The polling stations in four districts ― Kemasik, Kijal, Chukai and Air Putih ― will close at 6pm.

The by-election process will involve 2,102 staff of the Election Commission (EC), who will be on duty to ensure 141,043 eligible voters cast their votes.

Due to the floods, all 387 Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and six Armed Forces personnel members eligible for early voting were directed to cast their votes by post because their services and focus were needed in flood situations.

Therefore, the early voting on November 28 saw only the spouses of three military personnel casting their ballots at the Kijal police station.

The by-election sees a one-on-one clash between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Gen (Rtd) Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, representing PAS.

It is being held following the decision of the Terengganu Election Court on September 26, which annulled the victory of PAS candidate Che Alias Hamid in the 15th general election. ― Bernama