The results of the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election on May 7 is expected to be known by 9pm at the earliest, said Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah.

He said EC also expected that about 80 percent of the 71,890 eligible voters in the constituency would cast their ballot.

"EC expected that voters' turnout percentage will drop to 80 percent from 88.50 percent during the 13th general election in May 2013.

"There are 130 streams on polling day and 627 police personnel will go for early voting in two streams at Dewan Gemilang in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) police district headquarters and Kubang Semang police station barracks on May 3," he told a media conference after the nomination process for the Permatang Pauh by-election in the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) Bukit Mertajam, here Saturday.

The by-election will witness a four-cornered fight between candidates from Barisan Nasional (BN), PKR, Parti Rakyat Malaysia and an Independent.

READ: It's a four-cornered fight in Permatang Pauh

BN candiate Suhaimi Sabudin will be challenged by PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Salleh Ishak (Independent) and Azman Shah Othman from Parti Rakyat Malaysia.

Mohd Hashim dismissed the notion that the reduction was because of the polling day that falls on a working day as EC record showed that a working day or holiday did not play a role in the percentage of voters' turnout.

He said EC set up six election campaign enforcement teams in the Permatang Pauh election to monitor the situation with each state seat being allocated two teams.

"These teams will conduct patrols and, if there is a campaign that contravenes the rules, we will take action," he said adding that they comprised representatives from the police, local authorities and political parties that
were contesting.

He said EC also appointed 10 election observers from the Malaysian Youth Council, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Military Veterans Association.

Mohd Hashim also advised voters to check their polling venues before polling day by contacting EC through the short message service (SMS) or surf EC website www.spr.gov.my to check their name and polling venue.

He also asked parties contesting in the by-election not to be unruly to ensure the calm atmosphere experienced on nomination day is maintained until the polling day ends.

All parties contesting were reminded to comply to the regulations set by EC and police, including obtaining permits for ceramah and not campaigning after midnight on May 6, he said.


"In addition, I am asking the parties that are not contesting not to install their flags or banners as this is an offence and EC will take firm action," he said.

The Permatang Pauh Parliamentary by-election was called after its incumbent Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was disqualified as an elected representative after a petition of royal pardon against his imprisonment filed by his family was rejected by the Pardons Board.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year imprisonment at the Sungai Buloh jail, Selangor for sodomising his former personal assistant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The Election Commission fixed nomination day on May 7 and early voting on May 3.