NIBONG TEBAL: It was a peaceful voting process for the Sungai Bakap by-election today (July 6).
Voting ended at about 6pm without any untoward incident.
As of 4pm, a total of 57.77 per cent of voters had cast their votes.
Earlier in the day, voting got off to a smooth start at about 8am involving nine polling centres and 65 voting streams.
By 7.30am, long lines could be seen in most of the polling centres, with some voters came as early as 6.45am to avoid the crowd later in the day.
A total of 39,151 voters were eligible to cast their ballots today.
Checks by the New Straits Times at the polling centres in SMK Bandar Tasek Mutiara, SK Sungai Duri and SK Jawi showed the voting process was smooth and under control.
The three polling stations had the highest number of polling streams.
The crowd could only be seen before the voting centres were officially opened.
Thereafter, it was under control.
At SK Sungai Duri and SK Jawi, vote canvassers from both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional could be seen on both sides of the road canvassing for votes.
Policemen were present to control the situation and the traffic.
Election Commission chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun was on the ground with his team to monitor and ensure the smooth running of the by-election.
He urged voters to come out to vote.
"For now, the voters' turnout looks to be balanced between the old and the young.
"Many young people come out in the morning to vote," he said when met at the SK Duri polling centre.
Ramlan said the overall voting process was smooth with minor hiccups.
Meanwhile, state police chief Datuk Hamzah said he was satisfied with the whole running of the Sungai Bakap by-election.
"Everything is good and under control since morning.
"We have not received any report of any untoward incident," he said.
There are a total of 39,279 registered voters in Sungai Bakap, including 57 police personnel.
Today's (July 6) by-election involved a straight fight between PH's Dr Joohari and PN's Abidin Ismail.
In the state elections last August, Pas' Nor Zamri Latiff defeated PKR's Nurhidayah Che Rose with a majority of 1,563 votes.
The by-election was triggered following the death of Nor Zamri on May 24.