JEDDAH: Verbal and physical fighting broke out between candidates contesting elections for the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and election monitors on Monday when the former complained about rigging.
The bickering started when some candidates expressed their doubts about certain voters who, according to them, had entered the polling booth more than once. The election monitors did not allow the candidates to question their authority and credibility.
One candidate said the quarrel started as a result of some fraudulent practices. About 65 candidates including seven women are contesting the election to pick 12 members of the board. The monitors — two men and a woman — were selected by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which is supervising the elections.
Witnesses said it was for the first time such fighting was taking place during JCCI elections. There were reports that some candidates had bought votes by paying up to SR10,000 per vote. Some candidates had brought food and chocolates while another fruits to woo voters.
Wednesday, the last day of the election, is expected to get hotter when voters are likely to seek bigger prices for casting their votes.
In a related development, 50 foreign investors, who are members of the JCCI, cast their votes on Tuesday. Their number is expected to cross 100 on Wednesday when polling booths close at 9 p.m.
Muhyuddin Hekami, director of technology and information at JCCI, told Arab News that vote counting would start at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, using an automatic system that can count 16,000 votes per hour. He said candidates’ photos were included in the ballot paper for the first time this year. Information about candidates was available on the chamber’s website. The election began on Saturday.
