GE15: Ahmad Zahid, Takiyuddin and Radzi among early voters to cast ballots

KUALA LUMPUR: As soon as the polling stations opened at 8 am today, the contesting candidates, including party leaders, were seen arriving early to fulfil their responsibilities for the 15th General Election (GE15).

Some of them were seen in the queue with other voters while waiting for the polling station to open.

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and UMNO president, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, arrived at 8.20 am to cast his vote at Madrasah Manbail Ulum in Sungai Nipah Darat.

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate for the Putrajaya parliamentary seat and Bersatu vice-president, Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin, arrived at Al-Najah Religious Primary School, Precinct 9, Putrajaya at 8.20 am to cast his vote, while the PN candidate for the Gombak parliamentary seat, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, arrived at 8.30 am to vote at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Klang Gate, Hulu Klang.

The incumbent and PN candidate for the Kota Bharu parliamentary seat, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who is also PAS secretary-general, arrived at 7.48 am at Maktab Sultan Ismail (SIC), Kota Bharu, and waited with other voters for the polling station to open at 8 am.

UMNO secretary-general, Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, who is also the BN candidate for the Pontian parliamentary seat, was also one of the first to vote at SK Seri Bahagia in Benut, Pontian, as soon as the polling station opened at 8 am.

Meanwhile, UMNO vice-president, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, who is also the BN candidate for the Kota Tinggi parliamentary seat, arrived at the SK Taman Rinting polling station, Pasir Gudang, Johor, at 8.10 am to fulfil his voting responsibilities.

The BN candidate for the Kemaman parliamentary seat, who is also Terengganu BN chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said, and his wife, Toh Puan Seri Norliza Mahmud, arrived at the SK Teluk Kalong polling centre at 7.55 am.

Johor UMNO deputy chief, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who is also a BN Pulai candidate, arrived with his wife, Rossana Jaafar and his mother, Puan Seri Salbiah Abd Hamid, 84, at SK Agama Dato Omar Yusuf polling station, Johor Bahru, at 8.15 am.

BN candidate contesting the Kuala Selangor parliamentary seat, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, arrived at SK Puncak Alam 2 polling station at 8.20 am.

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for Petra Jaya parliamentary seat, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, with his wife, Datin Seri Raziah Mohd Tahir, finished casting their ballots at SK Rakyat, Jalan Bolhassan, Kuching, Sarawak, at 8.31 am.

Also seen arriving early was BN candidate for Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary seat, Datuk Chew Yin Keen, who cast his ballot at SK Seri Anggerik, Cheras.

The GE15 voting process officially starts at 7.30 this morning in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, while in Peninsular Malaysia it starts at 8 this morning.

Also held simultaneously is voting for the Bugaya state by-election in Sabah, which was postponed following the proclamation of an emergency to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Polling centres in Peninsular Malaysia will be closed in stages between 12 noon and 6 pm.

Meanwhile, Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka, Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, and his wife, Toh Puan Asmah Abdul Rahman fulfilled their responsibilities as voters at SK Dato' Demang Hussin for the Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary seat and arrived at the polling centre at 10.10 am.

Hang Tuah Jaya parliamentary seat witnessed a four-cornered clash between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Ali, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Adam Adli Abd Halim, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Mohd Azrudin Md Idris and Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) candidate Sheikh Ikhzan Sheikh Salleh.

In Alor Setar, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali finished casting their ballots at the SK Titi Gajah polling centre, here at 10.55 this morning.

The incumbent of the Langkawi parliamentary seat fulfilled his responsibility of electing a representative for the Kuala Kedah parliamentary seat which witnessed a five-cornered clash.

Pejuang president, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir and his wife Tok Puan Norzieta Zakaria, arrived at the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Pei Min polling centre in Padang Sera near Jitra, at 9 am and finished voting 18 minutes later.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor finished casting his ballot at SK Bandar Baru Beris Jaya, Sik, at 10.15 am.

-- BERNAMA

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