KUALA LUMPUR: The departure hall at KLIA2 in Sepang was packed. And most of the passengers were headed to Kota Kinabalu. Voters working in the peninsula were rushing home to to cast their votes.
For Joseph Majawat, 29, a finance analyst in Kuala Lumpur, the trip was almost like a reunion with a purpose.
He was travelling with two colleagues, who had banded together to hunt for affordable flight tickets.
“It’s my second time voting, so I kind of know the drill,” he said with a laugh.
“But honestly, you still get that pull to go home and do what you can,” he added.
His one-way ticket cost around RM400, a bit more than the usual but he shrugged it off.
“Prices went up, but that’s okay. Voting is not something I want to skip. If we want things to improve, we can’t just comment online, we have to show up,” he said.
He said voting was a reminder that Sabahans outside the state are still deeply connected to home.
For Melinda Lee, 34, a sales executive in Petaling Jaya, the journey home will be a solo one this time.
Her family decided to opt out saying it ‘wouldn’t make a difference’, but that didn’t deter her.
“I managed to get a ticket at around RM300, because the airline had special discounts last month for flights to Sabah.
“But even without the discount, I would still go.”
She also said that some friends question whether her one single vote would make any difference.
“I get where they’re coming from, but small margins decide elections all the time.
“I’d rather vote and know that I did my part,” she said.
