SEREMBAN: Voters in Rantau have been challenged to come out and vote in the by-election, and in the process batter the voting percentage recorded in the Semenyih by-election.
Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman, Dr Azmi Sharom, said the voting percentage at the Semenyih by-election registered a 73 per cent voter turn-out and the EC wants voters in Rantau to improve upon this record.
“I challenge the voters in Rantau. If in the Semenyih by-election the voter turnout was 73 per cent, in Rantau we hope that it would be higher,” he said.
Azmi was speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the Rantau by-election's nomination process at SJKC Bandar Sri Sendayan, near here, today.
The voter turn-out for the Semenyih by-election had also battered the turnout for previous by-elections held. The voter turnout percentage for the Sungai Kandis by-election was at 49.8 per cent, Seri Setia (44 per cent) and Balakong (43 per cent) in Selangor.
Meanwhile, the turnout percentage for the Port Dickson parliamentary seat by-election was at 58.3 per cent, whereas for the Cameron Highlands by-election it saw a turnout of 68.79 per cent.
The Rantau by-election will see a four-cornered contest between Dr S Streram from Pakatan Harapan, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (Barisan Nasional) and two independent candidates, Malar Rajaram and Mohd Nor Yassin.
Polling in the Rantau state seat by-election will be held on April 13, with early voting on April 9.
Reports by Mohd Anwar Patho Rohman, Tuty Haryanti Ahmad Rodzi and Luqman Arif Abdul Karim