We’ll be blogging analysis and observations on the results of Malaysia’s 14th general election (GE14) from 1700MYT/1900AEST on 9 May, so bookmark this page—and in the mean time, check out the in-depth critical coverage of GE14 from New Mandala contributors here.
PETALING JAYA: Google's set its landing page to display a doodle of its alphabets "voting" in Malaysia's GE14.
The dancing letters are seen holding ballot papers and Malaysian flags, while the middle G was replaced by a ballot box labelled with the Jalur Gemilang.
A check of Google Doodle's archive showed that the 2018 Malaysian election doodle's reach was set for those in Malaysia only.
On May 9 last year, Google created a similar doodle for the South Korean presidential polls.
Recently, Twitter also introduced a new emoji for GE14, featuring a marked ballot above the Malaysian flag shaped to resemble the ballot box.
The emoji appears when the hashtags #MalaysiaElection, #GE14 or #PRU14 are used in the tweet, and will be available until May 16.
Malaysians will elect 222 members of parliament and representatives for 505 state seats nationwide, from a total of 2,333 candidates, who filed their nomination papers on April 28.
Polling ends at 5pm.
Polling centres close at 5pm and counting begins soon after. Early results will start trickling in at about 6.30pm. To keep track of results as they come in, go to election.thestar.com.my
For more GE14 news, go to www.thestar.com.my/ge14
PETALING JAYA: In 11 days of intense campaigning, the politicians have had their say. They have made promises, pledges and painted pictures of great things to come. Today, we Malaysians will have our say - on who will lead the country for the next five years.
5pm: All the 8,253 polling stations throughout the country closed at 5pm as gazetted under the Election Commission Act, says EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah.
2.22pm: The Election Commission says voter turnout was at 55% out of the total 14,449,200 voters in GE14 as of 1pm.
12.30pm: As of 11am, the turnout rate of voters in Perak is at 34.79%, according to a short statement issued by the Perak Election Commission.
12.24pm: According to the Pahang Information Department, as of 11am, 37.27% of the state's voters of 802,482 have come out to cast their ballots.
10.55am: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad arrives at SK Titi Gajah in Alor Setar to cast his vote.
10.50am: Bersatu Sabah acting president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili cast his vote at SMK Kota Marudu, Sabah.
10.43am: Penang Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and his consort Toh Puan Majimor Shariff arrive at the Al-Madrasatul Ibtidaiyah religious school in Permatang Rambai, Penaga, Kepala Batas, Penang to cast their votes.
10.07am: Former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi completes voting SK Permatang Bertam in Kepala Batas, Penang.
10.06am: BN candidate Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique casting his vote at Sekolah Kebangsaan Setiawangsa in KL.
9.48am: Tanjong Karang BN parliamentary candidate Tan Sri Noh Omar and his wife Aishah Salleh arrive at SK Sungai Burung in Tanjong Karang, to cast their votes.
9.37am : Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has cast his vote for the Pekan parliamentary seat. The Barisan Nasional chairman arrived at his polling station Sekolah Sains Sultan Ahmad Shah at 9.20 am together with his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. Najib was all smiles when he was greeted by other voters who were present at the station. The Barisan chief is in a four-cornered fight for the Pekan seat.
9.35am: Sarawak chief minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg cast his vote at SK Merpati Jepang for the Petra Jaya parliamentary seat.
9.30am: Incumbent Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar arrives at SMA Hj Mohd Yatim in Ulu Gadong to cast his ballot. However, after queuing up for 20minutes, Khairy decides to leave to visit other polling centres in Rembau. He will return to his polling centre later in the afternoon to vote.
9.29am: PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has voted in SK Seri Penanti in Permatang Pauh here. After casting her vote, she immediately left and returned to Selangor where she is contesting for Pandan parliamentary seat there.
Her daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar, who is two-term Lembah Pantai MP, is contesting the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in GE14. She voted in SK Bukit Bandaraya in Kuala Lumpur and is expected to return to Permatang Pauh later this afternooon.
9:20am: Former Terengganu state secretary and Barisan Nasional candidate for the Kuala Terengganu Parliamentary seat casts his vote at SMK Chendering.
9.20am: Sibu Supp candidate Dato Andrew Wong cast his vote at SJK Chung Hua.
9.13am: Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun joined hundreds of voters up early to cast their votes in SMK Mahmud here.
9am: Flamboyant celebrity Azwan Ali points out wrongly tagged ballot boxes as he was about the cast his vote at Sek Keb Klang Gate in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. He noticed the mistake where yellow ballot papers were in the box tagged "Parliament" and orange ballot papers were in the box tagged "State". "It should be the other way around," he said. "This kind of mistake will get the people riled up."
Azwan who is running for the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat in Selangor barely missed bumping into his brother Datuk Seri Azmin Ali who arrived with his wife Shamshida Taharin to cast their vote at the school.
8.50am: MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai casts his vote at SK Sulaiman in Bentong.
Liow was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Lee Sun Loo, parents Liow Yu Yin and Yap Kim Pee, daughter Liow Jie Hui, siblings, nephews and nieces. They all voted at the same voting centre. They had arrived at the school at 8am. Also present was MCA's candidate for Bilut state seat Poo Mun Hoong.
Liow's challenger, DAP's Wong Tack, cast his vote at SJK (C) Perting.
8.50am: Barisan Nasional's Stampin candidate Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, accompanied by his wife Datin Enn Ong, voted at SMK Bandar Kuching No 1.
"You journalists don't forget to go and vote too, don't just work only, because every vote counts," he told reporters.
Dr Sim, who is Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president, is facing state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who cast his ballot at SMK Kuching High at 8.45am.
8.49am: BN candidate for the Seputeh parliamentary seat Chan Quin Er, 31, arrived at 7.30am at SK Seri Mega in Jalan Hujan, Taman Overseas Union, Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur. F ellow candidate and four-term DAP MP Teresa Kok, 54, cast her vote at SMK Batu Lapan Jalan Puchong, Taman Kinrara, Selangor.
8.40am: Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah cast his vote at the SK Tunku Abdul Rahman in Mergong, Alor Setar.
8.40am: Bukit Bintang Wanita MCA chief Ann Tan Ean Ean, who is contesting the Bukit Bintang seat, casts her vote at SJK (C) Nan Kai
8.35am: Barisan Nasional candidate for Setiawangsa parliamentary seat Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique arrive at SK Setiawangsa with his family to cast their votes.
8.30am: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman arrive to cast their ballots at SMK Sri Muar.
8.15am: MCA Youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon and his wife Datin Chai Yoke Shyuan arrive at SMK Dato' Mohd Said in Nilai to cast their votes.
8.10am: Barisan Nasional deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis successfully cast their ballots at the Madrasah Manbail Ulum voting centre at Sungai Nipah Darat.
8.03am: Miri SUPP candidate Datuk Sebastian Ting voted at 8.03am at SK Bintang.
8am: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, who is defending his Marang parliamentary seat, arrives at SK Rusila in Marang to cast his ballot.
7.50am: Bukit Antarabangsa Independent candidate Azwan Ali arrives at SK Klang Gate in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur to cast his vote.
