MELAKA: Still unable to walk without support after a hit-and-run accident, Sametha Krishna R. Saravanan travelled from India to cast her first vote in her hometown of Ayer Keroh.
The 22-year-old flew from Cochin to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, despite her father’s concerns about the challenges of travelling in her condition.
RA Saravanan Theertha, 57, initially asked his daughter to reconsider as she needed special assistance during the flight.
“She insisted that she wanted to come back to vote for the first time. As her father, I granted her wish by using my savings to buy her flight ticket,” he said.
Sametha is still recovering from the accident in Negri Sembilan in February last year, which left her with multiple injuries.
Saravanan said she was initially bedridden and diagnosed with a serious condition, prompting him to seek specialist treatment for her in India.
She has since undergone several surgeries and intensive rehabilitation in Malaysia and India. She now relies on a wheelchair and walker to move around.
“Despite the disruption to her daily life, she has continued her studies online while working towards walking independently again,” he said.
Saravanan said his daughter was staying in Seremban before the family drove to Melaka, where she planned to reach her polling station in Taman Kerjasama, Bukit Beruang, by 11am today.
Saravanan said the cost of her treatment and rehabilitation had strained the family’s finances, forcing him to take on additional jobs alongside his work as a security officer.
In September, the Lions Club of Skudai in Johor helped raise funds for her surgeries, specialist treatment, physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
