SK vs SMK: Voters have to queue again after mixing up polling centres

KOTA KINABALU: Dozens of frustrated voters had to queue afresh after they got their voting centres mixed up between two schools in Penampang near here.

The voters, who had been queuing since 8am Wednesday at the SMK Bahang secondary school, had not checked their voting centres carefully.

They only found out when they reached the registration counter that their centres were actually at the nearby SK Bahang – a primary school – about five minutes away.

Election Commission officials subsequently made an announcement urging remaining voters to check their voting centres to avoid wasting time.

Voters at the secondary school, including some elderly folk and parents with small children, had to queue again at the counters where numbers were handed out, as they had been mistakenly informed that they could go directly to cast their ballots.

However, others had a smoother voting journey.

A mother of two, Finella Lee, was all smiles as she brought her two toddlers out of the polling centre.

“I arrived here around 9.15am and cast my vote before 10am,” said the 29-year-old sales executive.

She thanked the EC officials for allowing mothers like her to vote first as it saved a lot of her effort and time.

The voters here will choose between Datuk Francis Goh Fah Sun (BN-MCA), Chong Pit Fah (STAR) and Jannie Lasimbang (DAP) for the state seat.

For the Penampang parliament seat, they will chose either Darell Leiking (Warisan), Cleftus Stephen Spine (STAR), Ceasar Mandela Malakun (BN-Upko) or Edwin @ Jack Bosi (Anak Negeri).