MELAKA: A total of 11,557 early voters will cast their votes at 24 polling centres starting 8am today.

       Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said the early voters comprise 9,217 military personnel and their spouses, as well as 2,340 police personnel.

       “The entire early voting process will be implemented in compliance with Covid-19 Prevention Guidelines under the National Recovery Plan, such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks, use of hand sanitiser, checking of body temperature, and recording of attendance,” he said in a statement.

       Ikmalrudin added that agents of contesting candidates will be observing the early voting process, which will also be streamed live on the EC’s Facebook page.

       He said the ballot boxes for the early voting will be kept at police lockups and the vote-counting process will start at 4pm on Nov 20.

       “The vote counting will be held at the centres set by the EC and the process will be witnessed by the agents of the contesting candidates,” he said. Polling for the state election is on Nov 20.