Malaysiakini: Update from KT - CHECK IT OUT!

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Malaysiakini is going live with the coverage of the Kuala Terengganu by-election. News are updated as they come in.

4.15pm: NST reports the unofficial voter turnout stands at 72 percent. The EC will give its official figure at 6pm.

4.10pm: Independent candidate Azharuddin is nowhere in sight and could not be contacted as his mobile phone is switched off.

4.05pm: When contacted, election observers Mafrel said that many party supporters were still campaigning at the polling centres despite it being against the election laws to be campaigning today.

"It is even more disappointing when they are using minors to campaign today," said Mafrel's BK Ong.

He added that the party candidates should have made public their expenses during the 11 days of campaigning, including "the use of public facilities".

3.30pm: PAS's official organ Harakah reported that Putera Umno chief Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim was ‘caught' by PAS monitoring team trying to pass himself off as an election agent.

The report said that the incident happened this morning at 10.45am at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pusat Cahbang Tiga. Abdul Azeez was reportedly using a BN agent pass belonging to one Ibrahim Omar.

PAS is expected to lodge a police report on the matter soon.

However when contacted by Malaysiakini, Abdul Azeez denied being ‘caught' by anyone from PAS, stating that it was a mischevious lies. He added that he has been at the Tok Ku polling centre since morning.

3.10pm A check at several polling stations indicates an unexpected low turnout. Weather still holding.

2.30pm NST reports: Deputy Umno Wanita leader Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is busy making her rounds to monitor the by-election along with Wanita chief Rafidah Aziz.

2.10pm Campaigners continue their final push under the scorchingafternoon sun. Our team members describe the heat as the worst over the past 10 days

2.00pm Turnout is reported at only 56 percent. PAS is concerned as they feel that this may give rise to phantom voters. They did not elaborate on how this could take place.

1pm: According to RTM, 44 per cent of voters have turned out to vote.

12:43pm Worried that their ballot papers would be accidentaly spoilt after they were folded by EC officials, voters in SK Bukit Losong polling station made a report to EC and the officials were later instructed not to do so.

Earlier, Malaysian for free and fair election (Mafrel) reported that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and some BN supporters entered the polling station even though they have no right to do so. This resulted in a protest by some PAS supporters.

12.15pm A minor scuffle erupts between Umno and Pakatan supporters in front of Sek Men Gong Kapas following a name-calling episode.

According to the National Institute for Electoral Integrity (NIEI), the Umno supporters were campaigning at their office next to the school while PAS and PKR supporters were campaigning not far from there.

During the heated exchange of words, they started to punch each other before they were dispersed by police officers five minutes later.

It was later learnt that the supporters involved are not locals but from other states.

12 noon As of this hour, 42 per cent of the 80,229 electorates have cast their votes, according to the EC chair. Polling closes at 5pm.

11.45am mStar reports: Election Commission chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof says indelible ink may be used in the next general election.

"We are currently doing our research to go on with the use of indelible ink", he said after paying a visit to polling station at Sekolah Menengah Tunku Bariah.

11.25am Under the watchful eyes of dozens of police officers, the polling station in Kubang Ikan is calm and BN/PAS pondok panas seem to attract equal numbers of voters.

11.20am Election Commission officials says they hope for a high turnout among the 80,229 voters who are eligible to cast their ballots, according to AFP. They say that the short lines of voters at polling booths during the morning was normal and that the pace will pick up in the afternoon.

11am Weather still holding although rain is expected in the afternoon. Most polling stations report brisk polling. No uneventful incident reported.

10.20am Mostly women supporters from both sides seen outside the five polling stations within the Ladang state seat.These are Malay areas. Situation calm. Heavy police presence at schools. Traffic jams due to campaigning in front of schools.

10.03am: NST reports: In SK Chabang Tiga, BN party workers look worried as a majority of voters are seen stopping at the Pakatan Rakyat pondok panas before entering the polling station.

9.50am At Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman where the Chinese voters of Kg Cina cast their votes, turnout is brisk. Many are seen quietly in queue. Outside, some 50 supporters of both camps are separated by police. Atmosphere is friendly. MCA leaders Dr Chua Soi Lek, Liow Tiong La, Wong Foon Meng are here. Also sighted are DAP's Ronnie Liew, PKR's Tian Chua and PAS' Annuar Tan.

9.27am Bernama reports: Traffic in the city under control, with vehicles carrying party flags seen plying the streets. Police personnel station themselves in strategic locations. The Election Commission expects a 90 per cent voter turnout.

9.00am Over at SK Pusat Chabang Tiga station, about 100 PAS and Umno supporters seen on both sides of road waving flags and placards. PAS group comprises mainly elderly women while Umno seems to be dominated by Puteri members. They exchange shouts with PAS' Allahu-akbar while Umno replies with "PAS kluk klek", "PAS bohong."

8.50am Big groups of BN supporters armed with party flags start converging outside SK Bukit Besar. Shouts of Allahu-akbar and 'Hidup BN' heard.

8.30 am Weather reported good throughout KT when polling started. Morning is cool although some parts are cloudy. Large groups of policemen seen outside some polling stations.

8.15am After voting, Wan Farid told reporters outside, "God willing, voters will choose intelligently and vote for continuity through BN'

7.50am BN's Wan Ahmad Farid arrives at the SK Bukit Besar. Together with his wife, Intan Baizura, they voted at 8.05am.

7.45am PAS candidate Wahid Endut arrives at SK Pusat Chabang Tiga polling station. Accompanied by his wife and five of his nine children, he says he wants to be the first voter at the station.