KOTA KINABALU, Sept 26 -- A total of 48 per cent of the eligible voters have cast their ballots as at 1 pm in the 16th Sabah state election today, the Election Commission (EC) said.

This compares with a turnout of 41 per cent as at noon.

EC is targeting a turnout of 70 to 75 per cent in this election.

A total of 2,540 channels at 741 polling centres were opened for the 73 state constituencies at 7.30 am to enable voters to pick a government for the next five years.

The polling centres will close at 5 pm.

A total of 1,088,711 voters are eligible to vote today.

-- BERNAMA