DAY 3 | EC issues 128 postal ballot papers

DAY 3 | The Sungai Bakap by-election campaign continues for its third day today.

Malaysiakini reports live from the ground.

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This concludes Day 3 of the Sungai Bakap by-election campaign.

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EC issues 128 postal ballot papers

6.50pm: The Election Commission has issued 128 postal ballot papers to eligible voters.

EC secretary Ikmalrudin Ishak says a total of 120 Category 1A postal ballots have been issued for election officials and police officers, while five Category 1B postal ballots are for Malaysian citizens living abroad and three Category 1C postal ballots for agencies and organisations.

"All police officers involved in this by-election have been issued postal ballot papers. Therefore, there will be no early voting centres opened on July 2," he says in a statement today, as reported by Bernama.

Ikmalrudin also reminds all postal voters to mark the ballot paper and fill in the Identity Declaration form (Form 2) completely and correctly and immediately return it to the Returning Officer before 5pm on voting day on July 6.

"Voters are also reminded to always maintain the secrecy of their respective votes by not taking pictures of postal ballot papers and spreading them on social media sites," he says.

Land dispute: Exco wants state govt to serve as middle ground

3:30pm: Sungai Bakap, Nibong Tebal - A Penang exco says he has been engaging other top members of the state government over a farming land dispute.

Responding to an attendee at a town hall session, Penang Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee exco Fahmi Zainol says he had played his part in defending the farmer's plight over the issue.

Sungai Bakap farmer Lim Choon Huat has claimed that housing developers have started making incursions into farming areas, threatening the bread and butter of the community.

Fahmi opines that the Penang government needs a new mechanism to serve as a middle ground between farmers and developers to ensure that everything is fair and square.

Farmer scoffs at Penang exco over ‘seasonal initiatives’

2:30pm: Sungai Bakap, Nibong Tebal – Against the backdrop of the ongoing election campaign, Penang Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee exco Fahmi Zainol organises an engagement session with local farmers in southern Seberang Perai.

However, his efforts are not well-received and are described as “seasonal initiatives” by one farmer.

During the town hall question-and-answer session, 62-year-old Halim Joki stands up and brings up the elephant in the room.

“If possible, make sure this engagement yields results. I don't want to hear that we went through the election for nothing. I don't want to hear things like that anymore. It has happened so many times,” Halim says.

Fahmi (above) calmly responds to the farmer’s plight, saying he is ready to listen to any concerns and issues surrounding Sungai Bakap.

Rembia rep happy to campaign for PN

1.30pm: After appearing with Perikatan Nasional supporters on nomination day last Saturday, Rembia assemblyperson Muhamad Jailani Khamis is continuing to help the PN campaign.

The former Malacca government exco who was elected under PKR in 2018 and Umno in 2021, tells Malaysiakini he is suspended from the latter party for six years after campaigning for PN in last year's Simpang Jeram by-election.

In a video recording seen by Malaysiakini, Jailani (above) attacked the Pakatan Harapan-BN government in a speech on the PN stage last night over the implementation of diesel subsidy rationalisation and the Blackrock issue.

Jailani says today he will help PN candidate Abidin Ismail throughout the campaign.

"Yes, I will be speaking a lot throughout the campaign," he says.

Lau fumes over Fahmi's 'fake news'

10.15am: Gerakan president Dominic Lau claims that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government is power-mad and ignoring all principles and integrity.

Lau says this in response to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil's initial statement that PAS and the government were holding discussions, leading observers to believe that PAS might leave Perikatan Nasional and join the government.

"Sungai Bakap voters should take advantage of this by-election to teach the Madani government an unforgettable lesson.

"As a communications minister and spokesperson for the government, Fahmi promised to fight fake news, but he himself used the media to achieve his political goals,” Lau says in a statement.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has refuted Fahmi's statement. DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has also clarified that there was no invitation for PAS to join the government.

Traders complain about cat, dog faeces at market

10am: Sungai Bakap, Nibong Tebal - Sungai Bakap morning market traders complain about cat and dog faeces around the compound.

One of the traders, who declined to be named, says some customers have questioned whether it’s safe to shop at the market due to the cat and dog infestation.

“We have to clean after them and if we miss some of it, the customers might step on it so it’s very unhygienic,” he tells Malaysiakini.

PAS not invited to join coalition govt: Loke

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