A total of 53.26% of eligible early voters had cast their ballots in the Negeri Sembilan state election as of 11am today.
According to the Election Commission (EC), 2,356 early voters had fulfilled their voting responsibility, comprising 1,431 military personnel and 925 police personnel and their spouses.
A total of 38 polling centres opened simultaneously at 8am to allow 22,339 registered early voters to cast their ballots. The polling centres will close in stages between noon and 5pm, depending on their locations and the number of registered voters.
The 16th Negeri Sembilan state election sees 103 candidates contesting 36 State Legislative Assembly seats. Polling day for 889,490 registered voters is scheduled for Saturday.
Military and police personnel cast early votes
At the Army Basic Training Centre (PUSASDA), 1,481 military personnel and their spouses are eligible to vote at 11 polling streams from 8am to 5pm.
All of them are casting their ballots for the Bagan Pinang state seat.
The constituency is witnessing a three-cornered contest involving incumbent Abdul Fatah Zakaria of Perikatan Nasional, Sheikh Junaidy Jamaludin of BERSATU and Nasir Raman of Pakatan Harapan.
Bernama observed military personnel, officers and their spouses arriving as early as 7am to queue before polling began. Early voting proceeded smoothly under overcast weather conditions.
Army chief General Azhan Md Othman was also expected to visit the early voting process at PUSASDA at 11am.
Voting continues at police headquarters
At the Negeri Sembilan Police Contingent Headquarters in Seremban, 979 police officers and personnel are voting for the Temiang state seat.
Assistant Superintendent Harminder Singh Pritam Singh became the first early voter to cast his ballot at Polling Stream 1.
Also among those who completed voting was Crime Prevention Board member at the Home Ministry, Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof, who previously served as deputy director of management (administration) at Bukit Aman and former Negeri Sembilan police chief.
The Temiang seat is also seeing a three-way contest involving Ho Weng Wah of Pakatan Harapan, Leaw Kok Chan of Barisan Nasional and Fazly Hamid of BERSATU.
State police chief Alzafny Ahmad also inspected the early voting process before attending a press conference at the Nilai District Police Headquarters later in the morning.
Polling centres to close in stages
Early voting is taking place at 38 polling centres across the state.
Eighteen polling centres will close at noon, two centres at 2pm, while the remaining 18 centres will close at 5pm.
A total of 16,884 military personnel and their spouses, together with 5,455 police personnel and their spouses, are eligible to vote early in the state election.
Polling for the Negeri Sembilan state election will be held on Saturday.
