AS of noon today, 47% of the total number of registered voters – roughly seven million people – have cast their ballots for the 14th general election, said the Election Commission.

A total of 14.9 million Malaysians are registered to vote in this election, 14.4 million out of which are expected to cast their ballots today.

In the last general election in 2013, 58.9% of 13.2 million voters had managed to vote as of noon on polling day.

The skies were blue despite the Meteorological Department having forecast rain in several states, and by late morning, the scorching sun appeared to have taken its toll on several voters, some of whom said they had waited in line for hours.

Loo Voon Chor, a 78-year-old voter in Petaling Jaya, collapsed and died while waiting for his turn to vote at Sekolah Menengah (P) Taman Petaling.

Loo, who was pronounced dead by the emergency medical unit that rushed to the scene at 9.45am, was believed to have been suffering from diabetes, lung and heart-related problems.

Other major controversies and hiccups reported in the first half of the day include:

1. Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan candidates and activists had their mobile phones inundated by spam calls and messages from unknown international numbers. The websites of opposition political parties have also been blocked.

2. Several complaints have been lodged with the police and EC by voters claiming to have been turned away at polling stations for their attire, despite the EC issuing a statement that there is no dress code. In a video allegedly taken in Penang, an elderly man is seen being asked to return home to change out of his shorts and slippers before he can be allowed in to cast his vote.

3. Snaking queues began forming outside most polling stations just several hours after voting began at 8am, leading to fears that many voters would not be able to cast their ballots in time.

Polling will close at 5pm today, with election results expected from as early as 9pm, said the EC. – May 9, 2018.