Sg Bakap polls: 88-year-old voter skips kebaya for practicality

NIBONG TEBAL: An elderly woman who promised to brighten up politics in a 'baju kebaya' outfit to vote in the Sungai Bakap state by-election today conceded she was unable to keep her fashionable pledge.

Selasiah Razak, 88, or more affectionately called 'Tok Siah', said she was unable to keep her word because riding pillion on her grandson’s motorcycle to the polling centre at SK Sungai Duri in Sungai Jawi was impractical.

"I’m awfully sorry to disappoint but I’m not in a kebaya since I had to come by motorcycle. It’s hard to even get on one in a tight kebaya. Anyway, being blessed with good health, here I am, happy all the same to be able to vote for the 16th time without fail since I was young,” she told Bernama at the school.

Recently, the matriarch to 24 grandchildren expressed her desire to wear the kebaya she stitched herself because she wanted to add some colour to polling day.

Selasiah, who was born in 1936, was among 508 elderly voters aged 80 and over in the Sungai Bakap constituency.

The by-election is a straight fight between Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin and Nibong Tebal PAS vice-chief Abidin Ismail, representing Perikatan Nasional.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff of PAS on May 24 due to stomach inflammation. In the Penang state election in August last year, Nor Zamri, who was the Nibong Tebal PAS division chief, defeated PH candidate Nurhidayah Che Rose with a majority of 1,563 votes. – Bernama