LABIS: The election commission is optimistic of a high voter turn out for the Tenang by-election despite the poor weather forecast for Sunday as it is a public holiday.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said that the commission had prepared contingency plans to tackle the situation, including getting trucks and four-wheel drives from the police, army, fire and rescue department and other agencies to help out.

“I am optimistic that Sunday being a holiday will attract many people to come out and vote,” he said, adding that in the 2008 general election, the voter turn out in the area was about 73%.

Abdul Aziz, who was in Labis to oversee the final preparation for the election, said that, so far, there were no worries about the 12 voting centres being affected by the floods.

“We may only have problems with one polling centre which is a school in Sawah Baru. The access road about 3km from the centre may be affected by flood waters,” he said, adding that arrangements have been made to help voters get to the centre.

Abdul Aziz urged voters to come out early as showers were expected in the afternoon.

He also reminded his personnel to ensure that they were impartial and professional in carrying out their duties.

“We must ensure that there are no complaints like the ones in Galas when the symbols were missing from the ballot papers,” he said, advising his personnel only to take instructions from the head at the poling stations and not from agents representing political parties.

“As for political parties, all campaigning should stop as of Saturday midnight,” he said, adding that the results would be officially announced by 8pm.

-The STAR-