5.43pm : News Update

Just got word that YB Gobalakrishnan and his two sons, both of whom are understood to have been part of the ghostbuster team that had been involved in the detention of the buses reported earlier, were beaten up and have been arrested and taken to the balai polis in seberang Jaya.

4.33pm : Din Merican reporting

20 FRU trucks on the Butterworth Highway, presumed to be heading for the Tengku Bainun Counting Centre.

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4.22pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from the Maktab Perguruan Tengku Bainun

More police trucks arriving at the centre. Helicopter hovering overhead.

4.16pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from the Maktab Perguruan Tengku Bainun

The two buses detained at Mengkuang Titi which were expected to be brought here have not as yet arrived. They are still being watched over by PKR ghostbusters.

Meanwhile, some 12 FRU trucks have pulled into the vicinity of the Maktab, presumably to provide added security for the counting process that will start later in the evening. The field has already been barricaded to provide for space for the two competing supporter camps later tonight.

From reliable sources, police may close off the highway to prevent too many people making their way to the counting centre tonight.

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3.55pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting on bas pengundi hantu

Another bus was earlier stopped by the PKR ghosbuster team at Tanah Liat, Penanti, with 40 passengers. the bus has been taken to the Tanah Liat Balai Polis.

Unconfirmed reports also have it that two vans have also been apprehended by the ghostbusters.
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3.42pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from the Sekolah Keb Mengkuang polling centre

This polling centre is opposite the Maktab perguruan Tengku Bainun, which served as the nomination centre on 16th August and will serve as the central counting centre tonight.

Voter turnout is up to 70% now.

The situation here is not as tense as elsewhere, with a high level of co-operation.

Earlier at Mengkuang Titi, the PKR ghostbuster team intercepted two buses suspected of ferrying pengundi hantu. They have very wisely asked for the assistance of locals to handle this matter.

Await further updates on this latest development.
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3.29pm : Din Merican reporting from Yayasan Aman

Numbers of voters coming out to suppport DSAI surging. There is a sense of jubilation in the air.
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3.09pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from the Sekolah Keb Penanti

This morning this area was crowded with some 5,000 supporters from both sides.

Now, BN supporters are hardly visible. BN bilik gerakan looks pathetic with hardly any workers manning the booth.

Voter turn out at this time is around 60%.

There was an incident this morning where a PKR supporter was arrested for unruly behaviour. Police have said he will be released after the elections if there is no more untoward incidents.

Two helicopters hovering over the area for a considerable period of time.
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2.58pm : Din Merican reporting from Sekolah Kebangsaan Permatang Pauh

Very heavy presence of police, but this not appear to be daunting thhe voters and supporters of PKR who appear to have now come out in full force, flags and all.

Voter turnout is now up to 64%, and is expected to hit 75% in the next 1/2 hour.
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2.53pm : Din Meriican reporting from Permatang Janggus

BN booths all deserted. Looks like they have abandoned ship!
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2.49pm : Din Merican reporting from Bandar Perda

Traffic congestion again making it near impossible for voters to get to the polling stations. Meanwhile, VVIPs are given priority for parking, aggravating the traffic situation.

Voter turnout now generally up to 60%
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2.30pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from the Sekolah Keb Tok Kandu polling station in Kampung Pertama

Voter turnout at the time of reporting is between 50-55%.

Very small number of BN supporters at their bilik gerakan. A number of police appear to be on hand to lend protection to the BN supporters.

Earlier in the morning, there was an attempt to fraudulently use the IC of a registered voter to vote. This attempted fraud was caught out but the indiividual was not apprehended.

Details of this case are in hand
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2.21pm : Din Merican reporting

Police creating difficulties for voters to get to polling stations by creating traffic congestions on the roads and on the Penang Bridge.

With a little over two hours to the end of polling in P.44 Permatang Pauh, the police seem to be doing a wonderful job ensuring a poor voter turnout.
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2.14pm : Update by Viveg & Balraj on the helicopter incident and the situation in Permatang Pauh

Confirmed that it was a PDRM helicopter that was hovering quite low in heavy rain, it seems, to monitor DSAI’s entourage that had just arrived at the polling centre.

Apart from the blown off roof, mango trees were also uprooted.

Enroute now to Kubang Semang, spotted another 5 FRU trucks headed out to Permatang Pauh.

1.58pm : Din Merican reporting from Bukit Berapit

The PKR motorcycle squad of about 100 bikers and a lorry have been deployed to ferry voters to raise the voter turnout in the Malay areas.
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1.49pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from Permatang Pauh

This morning there was an incident here where a BN supporter assaulted a PKR supporter and then escaped apprehension.

At about 1pm, a helicopter hovered so low close to the polling centre that a roof of a nearby kampung house was blown off. The owner is now off to lodge a police report.

Situation here is quite tense. The road leading into the polling centre is lined on opposite sides by opposing supporters. Strong FRU presence ( about 7 personnel ) and another police truck with about 40 light strike force personnel entering the area.

Voter turnout here up to the time of reporting is about 60%
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1.33pm : Reporting from Din Merican

Average voter turn out now up to 55% although the voter turn out at Seberang Jaya is still low. This is thought to be due to the heavy downpour and it is hoped that voters will start to come out again once the rain eases up.

Still concerns about the voter turn out in the Malay areas.

To a question from me, Din reported that as at the time of reporting there has been no detection of phantom voting or the interception of any incoming buses ferrying phantom voters by the ‘ghostbuster’ teams that Azmin Ali spoke of last night
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1.17pm : Reporting from Din Merican

Average voter turn out throughout the polling stations at this time is 53% and rising.

There is a sudden rush by voters in the Malay areas.
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1.07pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from Seberang Jaya

This is Arif Shah territory.

Although sunny earlier, it is now raining quite heavily.

Voter turn out has been low. Estimated at 40% at the time of reporting.

Situation there has been calm.

Altantuya showed up earlier together with Shahrizat and Hilmi.

Lim Guan Eng was also there
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12.54pm : Gus reportiing from Permatang Pauh

First polling station was Kg Tiong Hua. Supporters from both sides on the same side of the road with little space separating the two factions. No police to control the crowd. Jeering and taunting going on. Was told that there were some scuffles and fights earlier between rival supporters. Surprised that there were no police to keep the peace between the two.

Bad traffic jams everywhere. Noticed there was more supporters than voters.

Next polling station was at Bukit Indera Baru, Penanti. Here at least there was some semblance of police presence to keep the rival supporters separated.

Passed another 3 polling stations and noted better police presence to afford control of rival supporters.

Noticed that PKR supporters had come from as far as Pahang, Johor, Negri Sembilan and Kelantan to lend support for PKR.

The last polling station was at Tenggiri. Saw Nurul Izzah mingling with the crowd. Half an hour later DSAI also made an appearance.

Saw a group of BN supporters harrassing voters perceived as PKR supporters by simulating anal intercourse. Some crowded around cars to harrass drivers, especially lady drivers. One lady driver was almost in tears.

PKR supporters were observed attempting to rescue lady voters from this mob.

A lady from KL, a former BN supporter and now a PKR supporter after the ‘mattress’ episode of 1998 and her team were doing a fantastic job guiding voters to booths. They were also urging voters to stay calm and to not go on celebrations but to wait for the official outcome.

Most voters are heading to the PKR booths to confirm their voter registration status. This seems to be telling.
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12.51pm : Just had word from YB Ronnie Liu that victory for DSAI is in hand. Unofficial so let’s not sit on our laurels just yet. And let’s not forget that it’s not just victory that’s needed but an increased majority as well.
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12.43pm : Viveg & Balraj reporting from the Jalan Baru polling centre

Voter turn out here was reported to be about 60% up to the time of reporting.

Altantuya was at the centre early this morninng and to his dismay, found very few BN supporters present. Even at the time of reporting, there were very few BN supporters present as compared to PR supporters.

An interesting distraction to the objective at hand.

An ambulance coincidentally broke down in front of this polling centre. PR supporters were quick to carry a coffin bearing the words ‘Kuburkan BN’ written on it to the ambulance for transportation to the nearest cemetary.

Photos to follow later. Cheers guys.
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12.12pm : Wharf’s Gus and locals Viveg & Balraj have hit the streets and will be reporting back with the latest happenings.

Stay tuned for reporting as news is received.

Follow more reports from The People’s Parliament here