Mohd Hashim being interviewed by reporters at the Kampung Sungai Lundu community hall.
LUNDU: Early voting for the Tanjong Datu by-election began at 8am at the Kampung Sungai Lundu community hall and ULS camp in Sampadi today.
Heavy rain did little to deter voters from casting their ballots.
According to Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hashim Abdullah, there was a 37 per cent turnout of the 188 early voters at 9.20am, comprising policemen and military personnel.
“We are expecting more to turn up despite the bad weather and I’m confident that the number will increase as the day goes by,” he told reporters at the Kampung Sungai Lundu polling centre here.
He pointed out that a total of 101 policemen and their spouses are expected to cast their ballots.
The remaining early registered voters will cast their votes at the ULS camp hall in Sampadi near here.
Mohd Hashim was satisfied with the ongoing campaigning, whereby no posters and banners were put up to smear any political leaders or personality.
As such, the EC has not received any reports of election campaign violation nor disruption to public peace, he added.
Mohd Hashim also described the 13-day campaigning period to be normal, while providing a comfortable time period to the contesting candidates and parties.
Both of the polling centres for early voting will be closed at 5pm.
The Tanjong Datu by-election will witness a three-cornered fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datin Patinggi Jamilah Anu, State Reform Party (STAR) candidate Johnny Aput and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Baru candidate Rapelson Richard Hamit.