Twin by-elections: Polling day begins with clear skies

Voters in SK Sungai Danga polling centre in Johor Baru started lining up as early as 7.30am for the Pulai parliamentary seat by-election. Despite the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) predicting thunderstorms, the weather in Johor Baru was clear on Saturday morning. As the gates opened at 8am, voters continued to arrive steadily to cast their ballots. Sally Lim, one of the voters, arrived early to avoid the potential rain. She mentioned that it is her usual practice to have a bun before voting and enjoy a hearty breakfast with her family afterward.

Earlier reports had warned of bad weather in Johor Baru and Muar, the two districts where the by-elections were scheduled to take place. MetMalaysia had forecast thunderstorms throughout the day in these districts. The Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats are located within the Johor Baru and Muar districts, respectively. The weather is expected to play a significant role in influencing voter turnout, and Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh reminded voters to plan their journey carefully.

The Pulai constituency has a total of 166,653 registered voters, while Simpang Jeram has 40,379. Both seats will have a three-cornered fight between the Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, and an Independent candidate. The polling centers in Pulai consist of 47 centers with 294 streams, and the Simpang Jeram state constituency has 14 centers with 68 streams. These centers will be open from 8am to 6pm.

Despite the initial forecast, the weather in Johor Baru was clear on Saturday morning, as voters queued up early in the SK Sungai Danga polling center to cast their votes for the Pulai parliamentary seat by-election. Sally Lim, an early voter, mentioned that she arrived early to avoid the rain and that having a bun before voting is part of her routine. The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) had predicted thunderstorms throughout the day in Johor Baru and Muar, the two districts where the by-elections are being held. The Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats are located within these districts. The Election Commission (EC) chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh, emphasized the importance of planning the journey for voters amidst the potentially unfavorable weather. The Pulai parliamentary constituency has 166,653 registered voters, while Simpang Jeram has 40,379. In both seats, the three-cornered fight involves candidates from Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, and an Independent candidate. The Pulai parliamentary constituency has 47 polling centers with 294 streams, while the Simpang Jeram state constituency has 14 centers with 68 streams, all open from 8am to 6pm.