SEREMBAN: For 23-year-old Lee Qiu Yuan, polling day is more than just a day out; it is a chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other Malaysians exercising their right to vote.
Qiu Yuan, who has a learning disability, is an OKU card holder and will be voting for the second time in her life in the state polls today.
“I’m excited to vote because I have the chance to exercise my right to vote just like everybody else,” she said.
The trainee at a centre in Bukit Chedang near here, since 2022, will be casting her vote in SJK(C) Sin Hua Seremban for the Mambau constituency.
When asked what she hoped for from the winning representative, she said it was more initiatives for people with disabilities like her.
“I want my vote to count and my voice to be heard.
“Whoever wins, I hope they don’t forget about us when they take office,” she said, adding that she hoped for better job opportunities and more such centres for people with disabilities.
Her aunt, advertising representative Lee Lee Ling, 55, said her niece would surely be up bright and early to cast her ballot.
She said Qiu Yuan took her civic duty very seriously and already knew exactly which polling station to head to and what to expect.
“She knows where she is going to vote and for whom already.
“She has been attending many ceramah with us and enjoys the excitement of it all,” said Lee Ling.
The oldest of three siblings, Qiu Yuan is eager to show her younger sister, who will be voting for the first time today, the ropes.
Her aunt recalled that Qiu Yuan’s first time voting in the last elections went smoothly, thanks in part to assistance on the ground.
“It was smooth-sailing the last time as there was a representative from SPR (Election Commis-sion) to guide her.
“I hope all polling stations have such guides to help people like my niece.”
Qiu Yuan is one of 19 trainees with learning disabilities at the centre run by an NGO.
They are trained on practical living skills, including cooking, housekeeping, arts and crafts and straw-packing, to help them become more independent and self-reliant.
