MELAKA: Sleep was out of the question for Vong Fook Hoi who was so eager to cast his vote that he woke up at 3am, five hours before polling centres opened.
“Because I wanted to vote, I woke up at three in the morning. I could not sleep,” he said.
Better known as “Uncle Vong”, the 88-year-old grandfather shot to fame on social media about five years ago after seeking help from Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abdul Halem, then a local councillor, to get a hearing aid.
Mohd Noor Helmy shared a video of their encounter and subsequently found a sponsor for the device.
The politician, who has more than 1.5 million social media followers, has since featured Vong in light-hearted videos and even brought him along on the campaign trail during the Melaka election.
Despite his early start, Vong did not reach the polling centre as early as he had hoped.
“I was late today because I waited for my family,” he said.
He then had to wait before finally casting his ballot, although he said he had no doubt about his choice.
Polling day also provided an opportunity for a family reunion, with his children living in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur making the trip home.
“Everyone came back,” he said.
Asked whether he had told his children how to vote, Vong said the matter had already been settled at home the night before.
“They are grown up, not small children. With adults, we tell them once.
“They know what to do and how to do it,” he said.
Having done his part, Vong was ready to call it a day.
In August, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh joked that Vong had become so popular that he could even be one of Barisan Nasional’s poster boys for the Melaka polls.
On nomination day last month, Vong joined supporters accompanying Mohd Noor Helmy as he set out to defend the Duyong seat, which he won by 200 votes in 2021.
