Johor police chief Datuk Kamarudin Md Din (left) said a total of 412 officers and personnel from the Johor police contingent will be deployed for Nomination Day tomorrow. — Picture by Ben Tan
PONTIAN, Nov 1 — The police are expecting about 10,000 political party supporters at the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election nomination centre in Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim here tomorrow.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarudin Md Din said the force had taken various measures to ensure that the situation during the nomination process will be smooth and uninterrupted.
He cautioned all political parties against creating provocative acts as a total of 412 officers and personnel from the Johor police contingent will be deployed ahead of Nomination Day tomorrow.
“As for now, it is understood that four political parties will be contesting, but if there are additional parties, the police will be ready.
“The police have put in place a plan to regulate aspects related to control. We request all contesting political parties to control and uphold their supporters' behaviour and conduct,” Kamarudin said at the Pontian district police headquarters here.
He also said that the police will close three main roads for the respective political party supporters.
He said Jalan Osman, Jalan Ismail and Jalan Dewan will be closed to the public.
“Motorists and the public are to use the alternative routes at Jalan Bakek, Jalan Al Sagoff Road and Jalan Parit Mesjid.
“The closure of the roads is to allow Pakatan Harapan (PH) party supporters to gather at Jalan Ismail, while Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters will gather at Jalan Osman and other parties will use Jalan Dewan,” said Kamarudin.
Meanwhile, Kamarudin said the police are currently looking for a Facebook account holder for allegedly disgracing PH candidate Karmaine Sardini.
“During the period leading up to Nomination Day, the police received only one report related to the Tanjung Piai by-election,” he said, adding that efforts are being made to locate the suspect.
At present, the Tanjung Piai by-election will see MCA’s Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng representing BN going against PH’s Karmaine from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and also Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam.
It is possible that a fourth political party will come from Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) after earlier confirming that it will be contesting in the constituency’s parliamentary by-election if BN fields a non-Malay candidate.
The Election Commission has set tomorrow as Nomination Day and November 16 as polling day for the Tanjung Piai parliamentary by-election.
The by-election was triggered after incumbent, Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, died of heart complications on September 21.
Dr Md Farid won the seat in the previous general election after he defeated BN’s Wee and PAS’ Nordin Othman in a three-way contest.
The Tanjung Piai constituency is a mixed seat comprising 57 per cent Malays, 42 per cent Chinese and 1 per cent Indians.
The seat has been traditionally contested by MCA and DAP since 2004. In 2018, DAP ceded the seat to Bersatu to contest under its PH campaign.
