The Pengkalan Kubor by-election has been fixed for Sept 25, Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof announced today.

Nomination day is set for Sept 13 while advance polling is set for Sept 21, thus allowing for a 12-day campaign period.

The by-election was triggered by the death of incumbent assemblyperson Noor Zahidi Omar, who died of cancer on Aug 20.

Abdul Aziz told a press conference in Putrajaya that Pengkalan Kubor has 24,039 registered voters as of Aug 20, of whom 109 are advance voters and one is an overseas voter.

According to data released by the EC today, 51.8 percent of these are male, while 48.2 percent are female voters. Most of them are in their 30s - making up 23.9 percent of voters.

With 11 schools to be used as polling centres for 46 polling streams, Abdul Aziz said the by-election is expected to cost RM696,750.

Tumpat land office chief Mohd Sobri Ramli has been appointed as the returning officer for the by-election, and he would be assisted by 422 election workers.

“The EC will appoint local (election) observers if there are applications to observe the by-election process from the nomination day until the results are announced.

“The observers will be appointed from among the NGOs and they will be allowed to make observations inside the nomination centre, advance polling centre, polling centres, counting centre and during the tallying process at the tallying centre,” he added.

To a question, Abdul Aziz ( left in picture ) said the cost of holding elections in Pengkalan Kubor has increased “slightly” due to the addition of two polling streams.

The EC chief also reminded employers to allow reasonable time for their workers to vote, without imposing any penalty on the voters.

Employers who fail to do so could be fined up to RM5,000 or one year’s imprisonment under Section 25(3) of the Election Offences Act 1954, he said.