Polling for Mahkota shuffles along as EC log voter turnout at 29pc as of noon

KLUANG, Sept 28 — The voter turnout for the Mahkota state by-election in Johor was 29.08 per cent of 66,318 as at 12 noon today, the Election Commision reported on its social media accounts.

Polling stations, numbering 20 in total, opened at 8am and will close at 6pm today, but turnout so far has been at a trickle.

The EC recorded 16.56 per cent at 10am.

The Johor state seat is seeing a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).

BN is fielding its Kluang Umno Youth chief Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, 40 while has PN chose former Johor footballer Mohamad Haizan Jaafar, 60, who goes by the name “Coach Haizan” on the ballot paper.

The Mahkota by-election was called following the death of its elected representative Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, on August 2.

Sharifah Azizah won the seat in the Johor state election in 2022 by a majority of 5,166 votes in a four-cornered fight involving Pakatan Harapan, PN and Warisan candidates.

Mahkota is the fourth by-election held this year.

The first was the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election in Selangor, followed by Sungai Bakap in Penang, and the Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan.