Pengkalan Kubor by-election will take place on Sept 25
(The Star) – The Pengkalan Kubor by-election will be held on Sept 25, with nominations set for Sept 13.
Election Commission chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said that as polling would be on a Thursday, employers should grant time off for voters to cast their votes.
He said employers were required to grant a reasonable time for their workers to exercise their voting rights under subsection 25(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954.
Under the Act, employers are prohibited from imposing any form of penalties such as a deduction in wages on an employee who is absent from work to fulfil a voting obligation.
“Employers who forbid an employee from voting may be fined RM5,000 or face a year of imprisonment as provided under subsection 25(3) of the Act,” Abdul Aziz told a press conference after chairing a meeting to decide on the dates at the EC headquarters here yesterday.
The closing date for postal votes will be Sept 13 for overseas voters and Sept 15 for local voters.
The Pengkalan Kubor by-election was called following the death of Barisan Nasional assemblyman Datuk Noor Zahidi Omar of liver cancer on Aug 20.
In the May 5 polls last year, Noor Zahidi beat PKR candidate Saharun Ibrahim and Independent Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary with a 1,736-vote majority.
There are 24,039 registered voters in the N.01 Pengkalan Kubor constituency.
Voters may check their status and the location of their designated polling centre through the EC website at www.spr.gov.my or by typingSPR<space>SEMAK<space>MyKad Number and SMS to 15888 starting Sept 8.
In Kota Baru, MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said people in Pengkalan Kubor could be assured of the best services if they chose Barisan.
Pakatan Rakyat, he said, was currently in a mess over the Selangor mentri besar issue and would not be able to provide the services required by the people.
“Barisan has a proven track record. It is a coalition that emphasises harmony and unity among member parties. This has enabled us to work together to bring services to the people,” he said at the state MCA annual general meeting at Wisma MCA in Lembah Sireh here yesterday.
Dr Wee, who is also a Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department, said the MCA election machinery was ready for the coming by-election in Pengkalan Kubor.
There are 262 Chinese and 1,653 Siamese voters in the constituency.
