Ayer Kuning: The nomination process for the Ayer Kuning state by-election at Dewan Merdeka here went smoothly this morning, according to Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin. He expressed satisfaction with the cooperation provided by the contesting political parties and confirmed that no untoward incidents occurred up until the nomination process concluded at 10 am.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the police chief reported that no election-related violations have been received so far. He also mentioned that a total of 778 police officers and personnel were deployed to manage traffic and ensure safety throughout the nomination process.
The Ayer Kuning state by-election is set to be a three-cornered contest involving candidates from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN), and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). Representing BN is Dr. Mohamad Yusri Bakir, 54, the Tapah UMNO division secretary. PN has fielded Abd Muhaimin Malek, 44, the Tapah PN chairman, while PSM’s candidate is its deputy secretary-general Bawani KS, 40.
Meanwhile, Noor Hisam stated that police have approved five permit applications for the 14-day campaigning period, which begins today and lasts until 11:59 pm on April 25. He advised all parties involved in the campaign to avoid discussing sensitive issues related to race, religion, and royalty (3R).
To ensure compliance with regulations, police personnel will be stationed at various campaign locations and during political talks or ceramah. The Election Commission (EC) has scheduled polling for April 26, with early voting set for April 22.
This by-election is necessitated by the passing of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, on February 22. The Ayer Kuning state constituency has 31,897 registered voters, including 31,315 ordinary voters and 582 police personnel and their spouses.