Polling: 8am to 5pm
Vote count: From 6pm
Results: 8pm
Earlier LIVE reports: Turnout higher than 2008 in twin by-elections
LIVE REPORTS
9.13pm: Kerdau
PAS says that it lost Kerdau due to Felda voters and outstation voters swinging to BN. It also lost support among the new voters and those who did not vote in the last general elections.
According to DAP leaders, BN won big in Felda areas. PAS has also lost substantially in other areas. However, they dispute MCA claims that Chinese support has returned to BN’s fold.
Reaction from Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam:
"I was worried not about losing but about winning with a small majority, so I told the voters if the majority is small, I wouldn't be able to work as hard for them. But now that is not a problem. We will fulfill all the campaign promises."
8.45pm: Merlimau
DPM Muhyiddin Yassin says that the results adds to the BN momentum and gives a feel-good factor to the ruling coalition.
"If possible, this trend should continue until the 13th general election. The results can be translated into the context of the general polls, but I don’t know when it will be called."
He said it also shows that Pakatan's message has been rejected, including its Orange Book.
8.18pm: Kerdau
Official EC results
BN - 5,060
PAS - 2,336
Majority - 2,724
The EC declares that Umno's Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad the winner of the Kerdau by-election.
8.14pm: Merlimau
Official EC results
BN - 5,962
PAS - 2,319
Majority - 3,643
The EC announces that Umno's Roslan Ahmad is the new state representative for Merlimau. He will be sworn in at Malacca state assembly tomorrow.
Correction: PAS did not win Ayer Merbau polling district, which has the highest percentage of Chinese voters (30.5%) in Merlimau.
8.12pm: Kerdau
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein arrives at the tally centre at Dewan Tun Razak in Temerloh.
As he enters the hall, he is greeted with claps as he goes up to sit with Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and BN's candidate Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad.
8.10pm:
Merlimau
(final unofficial results)
BN - 5,962
PAS - 2,319
Majority - 3,643
8.01pm: Kerdau (final unofficial results)
BN - 5,060
PAS - 2,336
Majority - 2,724
BN's majority has now surpasses its winning margin in the 2004 general election by 159 votes.
7.47pm: Merlimau
Official EC results (slower than unofficial results already announced):
BN - 4,533
PAS - 1,671
Majority - 2,862
Five more ballot boxes to go.
Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrives at the tally centre wearing a wide smile.
7.44pm: On-the-spot analysis:
As of now, the unofficial winning margin of 2,589 in Kerdau surpasses that in 2004 general election by 24 votes.
This indicates that Chinese votes have swung back to BN in Kerdau. However, the Chinese votes in Merlimau appears unmoved and there may even be an even higher swing to PAS.
This is because PAS has, for the first time, bagged the Ayer Merbau polling district, which has the highest percentage of Chinese voters (30.5%).
7.43pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 4,793
PAS - 2,204
Majority - 2,589
In PAS operation centre, party candidate
Hassanuddin Salim walks out to watch the results which was displayed on a big screen. He appears relax and chats with his supporters.
7.43pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 4,486
PAS - 2,161
Majority - 2,325
7.41pm: Merlimau
Official EC results (slower than unofficial results already announced):
BN - 3,214
PAS - 1,239
Majority - 1,975
7.32pm: On-the-spot analysis:
Given that the winning majority is higher than the 2008 results and lower than 2004 results (where BN won by a landslide), it appears that Malays and Indians voters have returned to Umno's fold as seen in the previous Tenang by-election two months ago.
As for Chinese voters, there could be a slight swing back to BN though this cannot be confirmed. A detail study is required as there are no Chinese-majority seats in both Kerdau and Merlimau.
It is interesting to note that PAS won Merlimau's polling district of Ayer Merbau, which has the highest percentage of Chinese voters (30.5%). It lost Ayer Merbau to Umno in 2008.
7.29pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 4,074
PAS - 2,002
Majority - 2,072
7.28pm: Kerdau
Official EC results (slower than unofficial results already announced):
BN - 3,746
PAS - 1,612
Majority - 2,134
7.27pm: Kerdau
Official EC results (slower than unofficial results already announced):
BN - 3,334
PAS - 1,453
Majority - 1,881
7.16pm: Kerdau
Official EC results (slower than unofficial results already announced):
BN - 2,170
PAS - 984
Majority - 1,186
7.20pm: On-the-spot analysis:
It appears that BN's winning majority in Kerdau and Merlimau will be somewhere between the 2008 general election and 2004 general election.
MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong says that the party has regained substantial Chinese votes in Kerdau.
7.16pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 3,777
PAS - 1,776
Majority - 2,001
About 70% of the votes counted.
7.11pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 3,533
PAS - 1,643
Majority - 1,890
7.10pm: On-the-spot analysis:
As expected, BN will retain both of its stronghold state seats. The winning margin for seats is much higher than in 2008.
In that general election, BN won Merlimau by 2,154 votes, and Kerdau by 1,615.
All eyes are now on whether BN is able to regain its winning majority which it obtained in the 2004 general election.
In 2004, BN won Merlimau by 5,087 votes, and Kerdau by 2,565.
With BN retaining both Merlimau and Kerdau, it has won eight of the 16 by-elections since the 2008 general election, equaling the eight won by Pakatan Rakyat.
7.04pm: Merlimau (unofficial)
BN - 5,962
PAS - 2,339
Majority - 3,623
Almost all the votes counted.
7.03pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 2,944
PAS - 1,361
Majority - 1,583
7.01pm:
Merlimau
(unofficial)
BN - 5,589
PAS - 2,134
Majority - 3,553
6.54pm: Merlimau (official)
Postal votes
BN - 46
PAS - 2
Majority - 44
6.52pm: Merlimau (unofficial)
From BN's Lokman Adam - Five ballot boxes counted. BN leading with 2,555 votes.
6.36pm: Merlimau
First three ballot boxes have arrived at the tally centre in Politeknik Merlimau, including a box from Merlimau Pasir, where BN's Roslan Ahmad voted.
6.35pm
:
Kerdau
Two more ballot boxes arrive at the tally centre at Dewan Tun Razak. There are 19 more ballot boxes to go.
6.34pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 2,021
PAS - 956
Majority - 1,065
6.35pm: Merlimau (unofficial)
BN - 498
PAS - 177
Majority - 321
6.34pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 1,875
PAS - 901
Majority - 974
6.17pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 1,385
PAS - 764
Majority - 621
6.17pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 731
PAS - 513
Majority - 218
6.06pm: Kerdau (unofficial)
BN - 191
PAS - 114
Majority - 77
[More to follow]
