Last Updated: 8:36pm, May 25, 2014

GEORGE TOWN (May 25): Voting for the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election remained sluggish as at noon today as Barisan Nasional loyalists stayed away from polling and the general sentiment stayed subdued.

After seeing a relatively light 13-day campaign period, voters go to the polls today to determine their new MP to succeed the late Karpal Singh.

The by-election has been called following the passing of Karpal, the DAP icon and human rights lawyer who was in his third term as MP there, in a vehicle accident on April 17.

Karpal’s 38-year old son Ramkarpal Singh is now contesting for the DAP and has emerged as a favourite, as the MCA, which traditionally represents the Barisan Nasional (BN) in contesting this constituency, has decided not to run this time.

Ramkarpal is facing challenges from Datuk Huan Cheng Guan from Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM), and independents Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abdul Sathar, a retiree, and Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan, a lawyer.

In the last general election on May 5 last year, Karpal had swept the seat for the DAP with a massive 41,778-vote majority, over MCA’s Teh Beng Yeam, polling 55,839 votes from the 69,900 that were cast.

Prior to that, Karpal had won the seat by 21,015 votes in 2008 and 1,261 votes in 2004.

Some 74% of the 62,000-odd voters here are Chinese, 14.5% are Malays, 11% are Indians and 0.5% are categorised as others.

Voter turnout will be a key issue that will be watched, as there are concerns of voter apathy due to prevailing opinion that the DAP is likely to sweep the seat again.

Live updates are as follows:

8.13pm

Unofficial results have confirmed that DAP's Ramkarpal Singh won with a majority of 37,697. He polled 41,244 while PCM's Huan Cheng Guan obtained 3,548 votes. Independents Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Sathar got 772 while Abu Backer Sidek Mohammd Zan obtained 221 votes. There were 542 spoilt votes.

The announcement made by DAP by-election communications director Ng Wei Aik at the party's operation centre sent ripples through the neighbourhood on Jalan Masjid Negeri.

According to sources, all three candidates against Ramkarpal have lost their deposits for polling less than 10% of the entire votes cast.

Despite the reduced majority compared to the general election last year when DAP won with a 41,778 majority, Ramkarpal was hailed as a hero.

After being hugged by his mother Gurmit Kaur and siblings, he was lifted by DAP leaders and supporters while cries of 'Ramkarpal!' and 'Karpal Singh!' punctured the air.

Amidst the joy and gaiety, the sky burst open and poured.

"That's Karpal's tears of joy!" remarked a supporter as the entourage pulled out of the centre to head to the official counting centre at Dewan Sri Pinang.

8.10pm

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz confirms low turnout at 56.04 percent or 46,099 voters. He says the main reason is the BN not contesting, leading to many not coming out to cast their ballots due to the near certainty of a DAP victory. While many pro-BN voters did not come out, most outstation voters also did not bother to travel back here, the EC reckons.

6pm

Early indications from results emerging out of a few separate channels in the 21 polling centres show Ramkarpal leading by about 92%, Huan getting some 7%, Mohamed Nabi Bux with 1% and Abu Backer Sidek with a minuscule number of votes.

4.31pm

Up to 4pm, 43,814 or 53.26% had casted their votes.

3.30pm

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who had just casted his vote said that the relatively low voter turnout was something that was expected.

"Many assume that Ramkarpal would win big," he said adding that the party expects a larger turnout in the Teluk Intan by-elections as BN was contesting there.

As for criticism by Utusan today calling DAP a racist, he said that it was a "nazi type of paper" and it can be just ignored.

2.55pm

Turnout as at 2pm was recorded at 35,292 voters or 42.9% of total registered voters in Bukit Gelugor. While this figure may seem poor, it is much better than the last time BN did not contest in an election. During the Penanti state by-election in May 2009 - contested by PKR's (Datuk) Mansor Othman and three independents - the total turnout for the entire polling was only 7,100 voters or 46.1% of the voting population there.
2.45pm

In an attempt to muster in voters for the remaining 3 hours, DAP in its official Facebook page has urged voters to help them mobilise another 15,000 to vote for Bukit Gelugor.

DAP added that as of 1pm the EC revealed that voter turnout was 37.91% or 30,596 votes.

1.35pm

DAP's Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer emerges with his family from the SK Bukit Gelugor polling centre after they had come together to cast their votes.

1.25pm

DAP's Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, says his mobile line has been hacked, and messages have been sent out using his number claiming victory for DAP. Four other Penang DAP leaders - deputy chief minister (II) Prof P Ramasamy, executive councillors Chong Eng and Phee Boon Poh, and Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer - had over the last two days lodged police reports of their mobile lines being similarly hacked with malicious and racist messages sent out to the public.

1.20pm

There is a poignant moment at SK Bukit Gelugor near the now demolished Kampung Buah Pala, when the family of an Indian cowherd that struggled to protect the century-old village and prevent eviction in 2009 showed up for voting. Traditional cowherd Karuppiah Thevar Muthu Thevar, 86, is brought on a wheelchair by his son Siva and grand-daugher Abirami, 19.

12.33pm

EC revealed that between 8am and 12pm, the voter turnout was 31.03% or 25,529 voters.

12.20pm

DAP Bukit Gelugor communication director Ng Wei Aik relayed information from the EC that the voter turnout in Chinese-majority area as at 12pm is more than 25% but in general the turnout is low at less than 20%.

12.05pm

As feared, Malay voters seem to have boycotted the by-election, said state PAS deputy commissioner Datuk Mujahid Yusuf Rawa.

He said PAS was trying its best to coax the voters out but most in places such as Taman Tun Sardon and Bukit Gelugor have refused to come out.

"I did expect this to happen, even though there was less resentment among the Malay voters. During our door-to-door visits they agreed to come out.

"I believe they are refusing because they do not have a Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate choice. From our survey, most of them are BN supporters. So there is no fight there.

"I heard that although they have been asked to support Parti Cinta Malaysia candidate Huan Cheng Guan, many are still not interested to vote," he said.

Last week, Mujahid identified BN-strongholds Bukit Gelugor, Sungai Gelugor, Taman Tun Sardon and Kampung Melayu as four areas with high Malay voters, that were considered 'black' for Pakatan Rakyat.

He also opined that the choice for BN supporters was 'worse' as a result of the uninspiring array of independent candidates as well.

Asked to comment on the low voter turnout of just 19% about 12pm, Mujahid said it could be a result of people's perception that DAP would still win whether votes were cast.

He also said many outstation voters including his sister who lives in Kuala Lumpur could have decided not to return for the by-election.

"This would definitely affect the majority for DAP but it did not mean that the support for the party had reduced," he said.

12.00pm

PCM's Huan holds a press conference and sees red over the use of Pasukan Peronda Sukarela (PPS), which is a state machinery, and some state assemblymen are allegedly "openly" campaigning near the polling centers, thus violating election laws.

11.55am

Abdul Aziz is quizzed about Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's reported caution in Teluk Intan - where another by-election is scheduled on May 31 - made to Rela troopers.

Ahmad Zahid is reported to have claimed that he knew who among them had not voted in the 13th General Election last year.

"He does not know... That is not true," Abdul Aziz said.

"As minister he was just advising lah (for them to vote)," he added.

"Who they vote for, we do not know."

He added however that one can tell who voted by the indelible ink that stays on the index finger for as long as a week. "If there is no ink on the finger, you can tell if that person voted or not."

On Zahid reportedly telling the Rela members in Teluk Intan that they would not get new uniforms paid for by the government if the Barisan Nasional's (BN) candidate there, Datuk Mah Siew Keong, does not win. Abdul Aziz replied that the volunteer troop has in fact already just obtained new uniforms.

11.45am

On the announcement made just yesterday by independent Abu Backer Sidek that he wants to pull out of the by-election, Abdul Aziz said it is not possible. "There is no meaning in that," he said of Abu Backer's reported announcement. Abdul Aziz explained that under the current law candidates can only withdraw on nomination day itself, before the returning officer announces the names of those confirmed contesting. "We cannot remove their names from the ballot paper after that," Abdul Aziz said. "If anyone votes for them, it is still valid... Candidates should think long and hard before contesting."

11.35am

Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof tells a press conference that the voting rate is low, at only about 6% of registered voters casting their ballots per hour. (A total of 16,418 voters have cast ballots so far.) This is far less than the normal rate of at least 10% every hour. He expressed hope that the voting would increase in the afternoon and continue smoothly. "Let's hope the election is done smooth and early... The Thomas Cup final is on tonight," he joked.

11.20am

The turnout at SK Seri Relau is about 40%.

10.45am

As at 10am, 16.59% of the registered voters had cast their ballots in the by-election, the Election Commission reports.

10.30am

According to Tanjung MP and DAP by-election coordinator for Bukit Gelugor Ng Wei Aik said an official complaint has been lodged to the returning officer (RO) against PCM's Huan who was seen allegedly campaigning at Saluran 1, 2 and 3 in Kong Ming polling station.  Members of the press however say that they did not notice any such occurrence.

10.15am

According to information from the Election Commission, a total of 7,112 voters or 8.62% of the registered voters in Bukit Gelugor had cast their ballots by 9am.

9.55am

Bukit Gelugor DAP candidate Ramkarpal Singh Deo arrives at SMK Air Itam with his mother Gurmit Kaur to assess the voter turnout.

Ramkarpal, 38, said this was the first school he was visiting and will be doing his rounds in 17 schools.

"Basically, I wanted to have a rough idea of voter turnout. I inspected the voting stations and spoke to the Election Commission (EC) officers. They told me that turnout has been between 15% and 20% so far.

"Voter turnout is still a big concern but it is okay so far and I hope it will continue like this throughout the day," he said.

Asked whether he had heard of any election irregularities such as phantom voters, and indelible ink, Ramkarpal, who was often vocal regarding it, said he had heard nothing of that sort yet.

Ramkarpal bumps into independent candidate Mohamed Nabi on the way out. They shake hands and wish each other luck.

9.35am

SMK Air Itam voters checking their details at the polling station believed to the biggest voting centre for the Bukit Gelugor constituency.

Veteran DAP leader Phee Boon Poh who was helping out at the polling station was irked when police told him that party workers were not allowed to go beyond a barrier.

Phee said the police was informed by the Election Commission officers to inform him to stay behind the barrier although he was pushing an elderly voter in a wheelchair.

"This was not an issue previously. I am not even dressed in party clothes. They should determine the parametres," he said, slightly annoyed.

9.20am

Independent candidate Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abdul Sathar, who is promoting hudud,  arrives at SK Seri Aman polling station. Shakes hands with officials and voters.

9.10am

A steady flow of voters is seen trickling into the 21 polling stations across Bukit Gelugor

9am

Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM)'s Huan Cheng Guan candidate does his rounds around polling centers. At SMK Air Hitam, his second stop of the day, he shakes hands with voters trickling in wishing them "Good Morning" and "Thank You". Voters shake his hands and smile kindly.

He has said during his campaign trail that it is sufficient for him to get back his deposit and that he would be happy if he secures even 12% of the voters today.

Polling is going smoothly as voters file in to cast their votes. EC workers are seen assisting senior citizens in wheelchairs.

8.55am

A hive of activity permeates the air at SMK Air Itam where voters arrived early on the Sunday morning to cast their votes. There are 18,929 voters. The roads are filled with traffic and voters stream in and out of the polling stations. Traffic cops and policemen man the cars and voters amid food stalls that have set up in the area. The information cards that were posted by DAP to the voters in the constituency as they are arrived with the cards to cast their votes.

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