The centres, with 48 polling channels, opened at 8am.

Four of these centres – at SK Tohoi, Pusat Pendidikan Komuniti Pos Gob, SK Sri Permai, and SK Kuala Sungai – will close at 2pm, and two others – at SK Pulat and Dewan Orang Ramai Pos Simpor – will close at 3pm.

A total of 20,216 ordinary voters are eligible to cast their ballots.

Forty-three postal ballots were issued to eligible voters, including 14 police officers, for early voting on Aug 13 but they opted for postal voting instead.

The by-election is a straight fight between Barisan Nasional candidate Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, representing the unity government, and Perikatan Nasional candidate Rizwadi Ismail, who joined Bersatu from PAS recently.

Both candidates will vote at the same polling centre – at Tabika Sri Bakawali in Bertam Lama.

The official vote-tallying centre is at Dewan Perdana of the Perdana Complex here and the official results are expected to be announced by returning officer Nik Raisnan Daud at 9pm at the earliest.