JOHOR BARU: Early voting for the Johor State Election ended at 5pm on Tuesday (March 8).

       Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said that a total of 18,625 people, or 87% of the 22,531 total registered voters, including police, Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), and the General Operations Force (GOF), had come out to cast their votes.

       "The EC would like to congratulate the EC officers and team for conducting their work excellently today," he said in a statement here on Tuesday.

       He added that the EC would also like to thank the government agencies and authorities involved during the process, including the Health Ministry, the National Security Council (MKN) and the local council.

       Earlier, it was reported that the EC had provided 63 polling stations with 83 channels for early voters across the state.

       There were 11 district police headquarters statewide, and some government offices had also been turned into polling centres.

       Military personnel cast their votes at the Mahkota Camp, Kluang; Tebrau Camp, Ulu Tiram; the 10th Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD) Camp, Batu Pahat; and the 4th Royal Artillery Regiment (4RAD) Camp, Segamat.

       GOF personnel and their spouses, meanwhile, cast their ballots at the 5th Battalion, GOF Camp in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, and the 6th Battalion, Bakri, Muar.

       A total of 239 candidates were vying for 56 seats in the Johor polls.

       Polling day for the Johor state election has been set for March 12.