Abang Johari (centre) speaking to the press at the SJK Chung Hua Lundu polling centre.
LUNDU: Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg is optimistic that the turnout of voters at the Tanjong Datu by-election will reach the target of 72 per cent.
“Just now when we visited Sampadi, the turnout was already 30 per cent. Our target is between 70 to 72 per cent,” Abang Johari told the media after visiting SK Chung Hua Lundu here this morning.
He said the people’s eagerness to vote could be driven by their love for the late Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who passed away on Jan 11.
“I think the people here are eager to cast their votes to see there will be continuity in Tok Nan’s legacy,” said Abang Johari.
Abang Johari said he would also be visiting voters at Kpg Pueh and Sematan before returning to Kuching.
The chief minister and his entourage have decided to use land transport due to the poor weather conditions.
He added that he and members of the State Cabinet would be at Adenan’s house to wait for the result of the by-election which is expected to be announced by 8pm.
BN director of operations and Santubong MP Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the trend of voters in the area was that they would turn up in the afternoon, especially among the younger voters.
“My target is 72 per cent, but SPR puts their target at 75 per cent,” he said.
Wan Junaidi, who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, disclosed that he had directed the Civil Defence Department to standby in case of flooding in certain areas due to the unpredictable weather conditions here lately.
“We want to make sure that we are ready to mobilise voters to polling centres in case of flooding in low lying areas. But we hope that the weather would not go in that direction,” he said.
Both State Reform Party (Star) Candidate Johnny Aput and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) candidate Repelson Richard Hamid were also seen visiting voters at SK Chung Hua Lundu here today.
Meanwhile, both Rafidah Adenan and Azizul Anwar Adenan said they have been busy visiting polling centres throughout the constituency to encourage voters to cast their votes.
The three-cornered contest is between Johnny, Repelson and BN candidate Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu.
Tanjong Datu has a total of 9,971 registered voters, including 188 early voters who cast their votes last Sunday.
In the last state election held in May last year, Adenan won the seat with a majority of 5,892 votes against PKR candidate Jazolkipli Numan, who polled 468 votes.