IT might not be possible to achieve the targeted 70% voter turnout for the Port Dickson by-election, Election Commission chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said, after a quiet morning at the polling stations, today

Speaking to reporters after visiting the SK Chuah polling station this morning, Azhar said the EC was not confident of hitting the target.

He said the number of voters as of 11am was below the EC’s expectations.

“As of 11am, the voter turnout was only 24%. We were hoping that more voters would come out,” he said.

“We hope they will come to vote because the weather is nice. It is not raining yet.”

Azhar also urged supporters of candidates not to canvas too close to the polling centres.

At the SK Chuah polling station, he personally asked some of these supporters to move 50 metres away from the polling station.

“I really hope that these activities can stop because it is a grey area if it is campaigning when you are carrying the emblem and flag.

“Those by itself are surely campaigning materials so to me, it should stop, absolutely stop.”

He said there had been complaints of canvassing in two to three other polling centres, and that action had been taken by the enforcement officers.

Earlier today, Pakatan Harapan candidate Anwar Ibrahim expressed fears of out-of-town voters not returning to vote today.

There are almost 15,000 voters living outside Port Dickson, with 4,936 voters living in other states and 11,070 voters living elsewhere in Negri Sembilan.

Pakatan wants a good turnout to ensure a good mandate to mark Anwar’s return to Parliament en route to the prime minister’s office.  

The voter turnout for the last three by-elections held after GE 14 was very low, a trend which looks set to continue in  Port Dickson.

As of noon, voter turnout stands at 34%. – October 13, 2018.