SLIM RIVER: A total of 12 polling centres with 54 streams opened at 8am today to allow voters in the Slim constituency here to choose their new state assemblyman.
Up to 22,749 registered voters will have until 5.30pm, when the polling centres close, to exercise their civic duty in the election, which was called following the death of incumbent assemblyman Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib on July 15 due to a heart attack.
In the 14th general election (GE14), Mohd Khusairi, who represented Barisan Nasional (BN), retained the Slim state seat with a majority 2,183 votes, defeating Mohd Amran Ibrahim from PKR, and Pas' Muhammad Zulfadli Zainal.
This by-election is a three-cornered fight between Mohd Zaidi Aziz, 44, from BN; and two independent candidates: Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi, 38; and S. Santharasekaran, 44.
The Slim polls are the second to be held during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) after the Chini by-election on July 4. It is also the 12th by-election after the GE14.
On Tuesday, early voting was held at the Muallim district police headquarters here, which saw a turnout of 96.25 per cent.
The Election Commission (EC) has mobilised 649 of its personnel here to ensure smooth polling; while the police have deployed 600 personnel to maintain public order and control traffic flow.
The EC is targeting a turnout of 85 per cent, and expects polling results to be announced before 9pm.
The official vote-tallying centre is at Dewan Seri Tanjung at the Tanjung Malim district council here.