TAPAH: Barisan Nasional (BN) has successfully retained the Ayer Kuning seat in the state by-election today after its candidate, Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, secured victory in the three-cornered fight with a 5,006-vote majority.
The Tapah UMNO secretary, also known as Ustaz Yusri, garnered 11,065 votes to defeat Abd Muhaimin Malek of Perikatan Nasional (PN) who scored 6,059 votes and Bawani KS of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) who obtained only 1,106 votes.
The result of the by-election was announced by returning officer Ahmad Redhauddin Ahmad Shokori at the vote tallying centre at Dewan Merdeka here tonight.
Ahmad Redhauddin also announced that 289 ballots were rejected, with voter turnout recorded at 58.07 per cent.
The outcome of the by-election reaffirms Ayer Kuning as a BN stronghold, a position the coalition has maintained since 1986.
Meanwhile, the victory of Mohamad Yusri, 54, was also celebrated by leaders from both BN and Pakatan Harapan, who were present at the Dewan Merdeka.
Among them were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, and DAP coordinator for the by-election Howard Lee Chuan How.
The by-election was called following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin on Feb 22 due to a heart attack.
In the 15th General Election in November 2022, Ishsam, who was also the Tapah UMNO chief, won the Ayer Kuning seat with a majority of 2,213 votes in a five-cornered fight.
The Ayer Kuning state constituency has 31,897 registered voters.
Last Tuesday, 93.4 per cent of the 500 police officers and their spouses cast their votes for the by-election during the early voting process.
