By: Amni Azizan
Edited by: Maizatul
Photo credit: Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia (SPRM)
JOHOR, 10 September 2023: As early as the clock struck 8:00 in the morning, voters from different age groups and backgrounds arrived at their respective polling centres to vote. In particular, Johoreans in Johor Bahru (Pulai) and Simpang Jeram cast their votes for their respective candidates of choice.
The Election Committee (EC) set the nomination of candidates for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections for August 26, 2023, with early voting commencing on September 5 and the polling day set to be held on September 9, 2023.
The Pulai’s parliamentary seat candidates were Suhaizan Kayat from Pakatan Harapan, Zulkifli Jaafar from Perikatan Nasional, and Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi, an independent candidate. Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan’s Nazri Abdul Rahman, Perikatan Nasional’s Dr. Mohd Mazri Yahya, and independent candidate S. Jeganathan will square off at Simpang Jeram.
The Election Committee initially targeted 70 percent of voter turnout. However, by 6:00 p.m., Pulai and Simpang Jeram had recorded 48 percent and 61 percent voter turnout, respectively. The Elective Committee (EC) Chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh, stated the weather conditions were the cause of a lower voter turnout than the committee expected.
In the end, both Pakatan Harapan’s candidates, Suhaizan Kayat and Nazri Abdul Rahman, won their Pulai and Simpang Jeram seats, with Suhaizan Kayat securing 18,641 votes and Nazri Abdul Rahman securing 13,844 votes.
The by-elections in Johor were announced following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, the Minister of Domestic Trade and Living Costs of Malaysia under Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Previously, the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub won the Simpang Jeram seat in the Johor state election and Pulai's seat during the 15th General Election in November 2022.
Unfortunately, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub passed away on July 23, 2023, at Alor Setar, Kedah, due to a brain hemorrhage. He was also known as “Bapa Rahmah Malaysia”, due to the implementation of the “Payung Rahmah” initiative under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living, which aims to ease the burdens of Malaysians.***
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