PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional (PN) has successfully retained the Sungai Bakap state seat in Penang, after securing an impressive 4,000-plus vote majority.

According to early unofficial results, PN candidate Abidin Ismail had apparently obtained more than 14,000 votes as opposed to Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Joohari Ariffin who managed to garner approximately 9,000 plus votes.

An hour after the counting of ballots began, PN’s Abidin Ismail was believed to have obtained more than 14,000 votes to the 9,600 obtained by Joohari Ariffin of Pakatan Harapan.

It was reported earlier the total turnout of voters had been lower at 68% despite polls closing at 6pm. It is learnt that despite the increase in Malay voters to cast their ballot papers, less Chinese and Indian voters turned up, today.

A total of 39,279 people were eligible to vote.

The state seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent PAS assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff in May.

The late Zamri, who was then the Nibong Tebal PAS division chief, had defeated PH candidate Nurhidayah Che Rose with a majority of 1,563 votes.