PRK Galas

NST
Galas polls on Nov 4
By Farrah Naz Karim

2010/10/07

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission yesterday set Nov 4 as polling day for the Galas state by-election, paving the way for the nation's 12th by-election since the 2008 general election.
Nomination Day was fixed for Oct 26, allowing nine days for campaigning.

Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said if there was a contest, the EC would expect a much higher voter turnout from the total of 11,553 registered voters. Nearly 81 per cent turned out in the last general election.

The majority of voters are Malays, which make up 61.67 per cent (7,125) of the voters in the constituency and Chinese 20.06 per cent (2,317).

The others are 1,889 Orang Asli, 185 Indians, 10 Sarawak Bumiputeras and 27 other ethnic groups. There are also 127 postal voters.

Wan Ahmad said although the polls were being held on a Thursday, it would not effect the turnout as most of the voters there were either self-employed or farmers and lived in the area.

"We took into consideration all the relevant aspects before setting the date and do not see any reason for a poor turnout, unless the weather is very bad.

"We have voters as young as 21, while the oldest is 111 years old."

There will be 13 polling centres, involving 25 streams, located at 11 schools, the Orang Asli Affairs Department and a community hall.

Wan Ahmad said the 2009 master electoral roll, which was merged with the first and second quarters of the 2010 supplementary electoral roll, would be used for this by-election. The roll was last updated on Sept 27.

The commission, he said, would be spending more in the by-election due to the topography of the area under the Gua Musang parliamentary constituency.

He said RM1.3 million was expected to be spent as the constituency was extensive and involved four polling centres. A helicopter would also be used.

The writ was issued yesterday, while the election notice was sent today.

The EC received official notification from the Kelantan State Assembly speaker on Sept 28 on the vacancy of the N45 Galas state seat, following the death of incumbent assemblyman Chek Hashim Sulaima, from Pas, on Sept 27.

Wan Ahmad also announced the appointment of Gua Musang district officer Wan Mustapha Wan Abdul Hamid as the by-election returning officer.

He will be assisted by Mohammad Yusoff Hassan, Mohd Helmi Mat Zin and Hasnul Hariz Ab Llah.

Nomination of candidates will be at the Gua Musang Land and District Office, while the Gua Musang Civic Centre would be the official vote tallying centre.

There will also be three election campaign enforcement teams to monitor campaign activities by the contesting parties. They will be part of the 323 EC officials dispatched to the constituency.

There will be no non-governmental organisation monitoring the by-election. The Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections NGO was dropped as the EC felt agents representing contesting parties were the best candidates to ensure a free and fair election.
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