Melaka State Election: 240 Polling Centres Open Simultaneously at 8 AM

MELAKA: A total of 240 ordinary polling centres with 1,213 polling streams for the 16th Melaka State Election opened simultaneously at 8 am on Saturday, allowing voters in the state to elect a new government for the next term.

The Election Commission (EC) said 675,166 ordinary voters were eligible to fulfil their civic duty by electing representatives to fill the 28 State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats, with voter turnout expected to reach 70 per cent.

Voting on Saturday is scheduled to continue until 6 pm, following the end of the 14-day campaign period at 11.59 pm on Friday.

Overall, 687,697 registered voters are eligible to vote in this state election, including 12,531 military personnel and their spouses, as well as police personnel, who had already fulfilled their civic duty through early voting on Tuesday.

The early voting process, involving 31 polling centres, recorded 9,417 voters, or 94.96 per cent of the 9,917 eligible early voters, casting their ballots in person on that day, while another 2,614 voted by post.

This state election sees 79 candidates from various political parties and Independents contesting the 28 state assembly seats, following the nomination process on October 31.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) fielded the highest number of candidates, contesting 24 seats, followed by Barisan Nasional (BN) with 23 candidates, Parti Bersama Malaysia (16), Bersatu (seven), Perikatan Nasional (five), Parti Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (one) and three Independent candidates.

The state election is being held following the dissolution of the 15th Melaka State Legislative Assembly on September 23, after receiving the consent of Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.

In the 15th Melaka State Election held on November 20, 2021, BN won 21 of the 28 state assembly seats, while PH secured five and PN won two.

Bernama