KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Voter turnout for Johor’s twin by-elections in Pulai and Simpang Jeram numbered only 13 per cent and 18 per cent respectively as at 10am today, the Election Commission.

Polling centres in the two constituencies had opened at 8am sharp and will close at 6pm today.

There are 47 polling centres with 294 streams in the Pulai parliamentary constituency while the Simpang Jeram state seat has 14 centres with 68 streams.

The low numbers in the morning could have been due to the overcast skies. It also rained in some areas within the Pulai parliamentary constituency.

The Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorms from morning until evening in both constituencies; Pulai is within Johor Baru while the Simpang Jeram state seat is within Muar.

Pulai has a total of 166,653 registered while Simpang Jeram has 40,379 registered voters.

Each seat will see a three-cornered fight involving Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, and an independent.

For Pulai, Suhaizan Kaiat is defending the parliamentary seat for Pakatan Harapan (PH) against challengers Zulkifli Jaafar from Perikatan Nasional (PN) and independent Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.

For Simpang Jeram, the candidates are Nazri Abdul Rahman (PH), Mohd Mazri Yahya (PN), and independent S. Jegananthan.

The twin by-elections were called following the July 23 death of its elected representative Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who was also domestic trade and living cost minister.

He was also elected to the Simpang Jeram state seat.

People queue up to cast their ballots at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Melati polling station in Johor Baru September 9, 2023. ― Picture by Shafwan Zaidon