NIBONG TEBAL, July 6 — The voter turnout for the Sungai Bakap state election recorded 44.59 per cent as of 2 pm today, according to the Election Commission (SPR).

Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow called on voters to come out to exercise their rights.

He said although the trend in the previous by-election showed a lower turnout than in the general election, voters in Sungai Bakap should come out in full force to cast their vote.

"We hope to get a 65 per cent turnout or above in this (Sungai Bakap) by-election because we hope the candidate representing the unity government (Joohari Ariffin) can win this by-election,” he told reporters after visiting the polling station at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Tasek Mutiara, Simpang Ampat.

Nine polling stations with 65 voting streams were opened simultaneously at 8am today.

The polling centres will close at 6pm. The vote tallying will be at the Jawi Multipurpose Hall, Taman Desa Jawi here.

A total of 39,151 ordinary voters are eligible to vote in the by-election today.

There are 39,279 registered voters in the constituency, including 57 members of the police force.

No early voting was held for this by-election as the early voters, comprising the 57 police personnel, applied to vote as postal voters.

The Sungai Bakap state by-election is a straight fight between Joohari Ariffin and Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate, Nibong Tebal PAS vice-chief Abidin Ismail.

It is called following the death of incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff due to stomach inflammation last May 24.

In the Penang State Election last August, Nor Zamri, who was also Nibong Tebal PAS chief, defeated PH candidate Nurhidayah Che Rose with a majority of 1,563 votes. — Bernama