PONTIAN: Voter turnout for the Johor election as at 2pm is 40%, says the Election Commission.

       However, this has caused concerns that the voter turnout will be poor for the state election.

       Parti Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said that while the voting process appeared to have gone smoothly so far, the low number of voters turning up was concerning.

       “I hope that the number will pick up in the next few hours as this is important for us to truly have an effective democracy,” he told reporters when met outside the SK Pangkala Raya voting centre here on Saturday (March 12).

       The Election Commission had announced earlier that the voter turnout up to 2pm was 40%. Polling closes at 6pm.

       Shafie said the turnout should at least reach the 70% mark in order for the election to truly reflect the choice of Johoreans.

       “However, from the looks of it, it is likely to be less than 60%.

       “This is partly because many voters, especially those in Singapore, could not come back to vote,” he added.

       Shafie was visiting the centre with the party’s Pekan Nanas candidate Hishamuddin Busri.