TAPAH: Some 34.06 per cent of voters in the Ayer Kuning state by-election have fulfilled their responsibilities as of noon today to elect a new representative in the State Assembly for the constituency, according to the Election Commission (EC).

A total of 19 polling centres with 63 channels for the Ayer Kuning by-election opened simultaneously at 8 am today. Today’s voting process involved 31,281 voters.

Eighteen of the polling centres will open until 6 pm, while the polling centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Toh Tandewa Sakti will close earlier at 4 pm.

A Bernama survey at several polling centres found the voting process going smoothly despite the cloudy weather in the early morning.

Last Tuesday, 93.4 per cent of the 500 police personnel and their spouses fulfilled their responsibilities at two polling centres during the early voting process for the by-election.

The Ayer Kuning by-election was called following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Ishsam Shahruddin, last Feb 22 due to a heart attack.

Today’s by-election witnessed a three-cornered contest between Barisan Nasional candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Perikatan Nasional candidate Abd Muhaimin Malek and Parti Sosialis Malaysia candidate Bawani KS.