Mahkota polls: Birth confinement, old age no hindrance for voters

KLUANG: Even though it's only been a month since she gave birth to her first child, young mother Nur Syafiqah Azani who is still in confinement, was determined to go out and fulfill her responsibility as a voter of the Mahkota state by-election.

Nur Syafiqah, 19, of Sarawak said she did not want to miss out on voting because the by-election was her first, so she and her husband left early in the morning from their family home in Johor Baru.

"We left at 4am this morning. To be honest, it was noisy but everything went smoothly and the staff helped a lot. I don't want to miss voting because I want to elect a representative who can help the people," she said.

Nur Syafiqah, who was met at the SMK Seri Perdana voting centre here, said she moved to Kluang in 2016 because she followed her mother who worked in a hospital.

Also not missing out on exercising his right as a voter was senior citizen Ng Kok Kiang, 76, who came to the polling station using an ehailing car, with a driver he knew.

"I called him and told him to take me to the polling station. I have never missed voting. This is our duty.

"Young voters must also come to vote. We must not take it for granted because voting day decides our future and Kluang. We must go out to vote," he said happily showing his inked finger.

Meanwhile for elderly Zuriah Jaafar, 61, the Mahkota state by-election brought special memories when she and her husband Abdul Aziz Osman, 62, who live in Taman Seri Suria here, were ferried by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to SMK Seri Perdana.

As their arrival at 8.05am in front of the polling station came into focus, people noticed that the driver who got out of the Proton X50 car to help Zuriah who needed the help to get into a wheelchair was the Mentri Besar.

"My aunt was surprised because she didn't expect the Mentri Besar to come home to take us to vote. I've voted 10 times but this time is really special... I didn't expect it," she said. - Bernama