Early counts show PH leading in Pulai, Simpang Jeram

Pakatan Harapan (PH) is leading in both the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections, as counting continues in the constituencies that recorded low voter turnouts as little as an hour before polling closed at 6pm.

The Election Commission said there was a 59% turnout in the Simpang Jeram state constituency as of 5pm, while the Pulai parliamentary seat had recorded less than 50%.

Pulai, a Chinese-majority seat considered a PH stronghold, has 165,509 voters.

Simpang Jeram, meanwhile, has 40,301 voters, with Malays comprising a little over 51% of the electorate.

As of 8pm, PH had taken a comfortable lead in Pulai, with more than half of the voting channels counted.

Meanwhile, Perikatan Nasional is trailing behind PH in Simpang Jeram in most of the voting channels.