Triple by-elections: Polling underway

News

7 Apr 2009

V. Vasudevan

Polling for the Bukit Selambau by-election is proceeding smoothly.

Both candidates from the main parties in this parliamentary constituency - the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat - have cast their votes.

The PKR's S. Manikumar voted at the SMK Taman Ria Jaya, five minutes after the polling station opened at 8am. Manikumar was accompanied by his supporters as his wife, S. Sharmila, is a teacher and at her school then. Independent T. Chandrarajan voted at 9.40am at the SMK Teknik Sungai Petani. He is the only candidate among the 13 independents who is a registered voter in the Bukit Selambau.

Ganesan, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, was upbeat.

"I have done my part. I will sleep peacefully tonight. I leave it to the voters and God to decide who should be the assemblyman for Bukit Selambau," he said after voting.

"I picked the saree," quipped Ganesan.

Manikumar said this is the fourth time he is voting in an election.

"However, this is the first time I am voting for myself. This is such a new experience for me," said Manikumar after casting his ballot. Chandrarajan said he was nervous but optimistic.

Though the other independents could not vote it did not stop them from visiting polling stations. L. Sarala, whose election symbol is the bicycle, was at the SMK Taman Ria station was a picture of optimism.

"I am confident of victory. I believe the women will cast their vote for me," she declared.

There are 35,140 voters in Bukit Selambau. Of these, Malays are the majority with 17,719, Indians (9,730), Chinese (7,370) and Others (306).

There are also 15 registered as postal voters. The voters are casting their votes in 64 voting streams spread over 22 polling stations. The big polling stations are in Taman Ria Jaya which has eight polling streams and the Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Baru with seven.

A big percentage of the Indian voters will cast their ballots at the SRJKT Saraswathy. There are 1,500 who are expected to cast their ballots here. The bulk of the Chinese voters are expected to cast their ballots in SJKC Fuh Sun in Bukit Selambau town and the SJKC Chung Hwa in Sungai Lallang. The most vote-rich area in the consitutency is a combination of Taman Ria, Taman Ria Selatan and Taman Peruda.

The three estates account for almost half the voters in the constituency.

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