Sg Bakap polls: 19-year-old makes it to the polling station despite her twisted ankle

Siti Nur Insyirah Samsudin, 19, and her father Samsudin Mohamad Rapi, 45, posing for a photo after casting their votes at 5.30pm at the SK Jawi polling station in Sungai Bakap, Penang.

NIBONG TEBAL: Despite having a twisted ankle and needing a wheelchair to reach the voting station, 19-year-old Siti Nur Insyirah Samsudin was determined not to miss her first voting experience.

Arriving at 5.30pm, she and her father, Samsudin Mohamad Rapi, 45, were among the last voters to cast their ballots at the SK Jawi polling station for the Sungai Bakap by-election on Saturday (July 6).

Siti Nur Insyirah said it was crucial for her to vote despite her injury.

"This is my first time voting and I am elated to express my rights as a Malaysian.

"My family runs a catering service and we only finished setting up at 3pm, which is why we were delayed in coming to vote.

"My fall yesterday made it worse as it hurts to walk, but it was not going to stop me," she said at SK Jawi in Sungai Bakap.

She emphasised the importance of voting as a Malaysian and wanted to choose her constituency representative.

"I could have skipped this, but every vote counts. If the candidate I chose loses by one vote because I stayed home, I will feel guilty," she said.

Account assistant Santirika G. Veeran, 38, who rushed over after work, said her office was nearby and she left as soon as possible.

"It is important to vote and I am glad I made it. I have always voted and no matter how busy I am, I will make time. I am glad I made it," she said after reaching the station at 5.15pm.

Lorry driver Syamirul Izwan Mohd Zambri, 23, said he was the last of his family members to vote, turning up at 5.20pm.

"I had a trip to the island and just got back from work. My family always votes and it is important to choose our representative here. As a lorry driver, I want better roads and infrastructure so I must cast my vote," he said.

Syamirul said that now, no matter who wins, he knows he did his duty as a resident in Sungai Bakap.

Nine polling stations with 65 voting streams were opened simultaneously at 8am on Saturday (July 6) and closed at 6pm.

Pakatan Harapan's candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin and Perikatan Nasional’s Abidin Ismail are in a straight fight in the by-election, which was called following the death of assemblyman Nor Zamri Latiff from PAS on May 24 due to stomach inflammation.