KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah has won the Mahkota by-election with a vote majority of 20,648, according to the Election Commission (EC).

In a straight fight between Syed Hussien, 40, and Perikatan Nasional’s Mohamad Haizan Jaafar, 61, the BN candidate won a total of 27,995 votes over his opponent’s 7,347.

The counting of votes took place at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail in Kluang.

The EC reported that 53.84 per cent of voters had cast their ballots today.

Mahkota has a total of 61,397 voters who are eligible to vote in the Mahkota by-election, including postal and absentee voters.

The by-election is being held following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, at Hospital Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom in Kluang on August 2.

In the previous election, Barisan Nasional’s Sharifah Azizah won with a majority of 5,166 votes in a four-way contest against Pakatan Harapan, PN and Warisan.

The Mahkota by-election is the fourth by-election this year, after Kuala Kubu Baru (Selangor), Sungai Bakap (Penang) and Nenggiri (Kelantan).

First contested in 2004, the Mahkota seat has been through five elections so far, with Barisan Nasional winning four of them.