POLLING for the Slim state seat by-election in Perak will be on August 29 with nominations set for August 15, said the Election Commission (EC) today.

Early voting will be on August 25, EC deputy chairman Azmi Sharom told a press conference today.

He said that EC will enforce Covid-19 preventive measures that were used during the recent Chini by-election in Pahang.

The Slim seat was vacated on July 15 following the death of assemblyman Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib at the Bentong Hospital in Pahang.

The 59-year-old four-term assemblyman is believed to have collapsed while playing golf at the Awana Genting Highlands Golf and Country Resort before he was rushed to hospital.

Khusairi, who was Tg Malim Umno chief, had obtained 8,327 votes in the three-cornered fight against Bersatu’s Mohd Amran Ibrahim (6,144) and PAS’ Muhammad Zulfadli Zainal (4,103) during the 2018 general election.

“The Slim by-election will use the set of improved Covid-19 guidelines since the Chini by-election,” said Azmi.

Among the measures that will be enforced are social distancing, the use of masks and hand sanitisers and temperature checks, he added.

“All these procedures will be used during the EC briefing sessions, nomination, early voting, polling and vote counting process.”

Meanwhile, Muallim district officer Shamsul Redzuan Idris has been appointed the returning officer for the Slim by-election and will be assisted by four people.

Nominations and vote tallying will be conducted at the Dewan Sri Tg, at the Tg Malim district office.

“EC will set up two teams of election enforcers to ensure the Covid-19 procedures are adhered to,” said Azmi.

He said 689 officers will be appointed to run the Slim by-election while 13 polling centres with 55 streams will be used.

The estimated cost for the Slim by-election is RM4.6 million.

For this by-election, Azmi said there are 23, 094 voters comprising 22,815 regular voters, 277 early voters and two overseas voters.

In 2018, there were 23,377 registered voters in Slim consisting of 75% Malays, 10% Chinese and 13% Indians. – July 23, 2020.