HULU SELANGOR, May 11: A couple in their 60s travelled for nearly 200km (km) today from Kuala Kangsar, Perak, to fulfil their responsibilities as voters in the Kuala Kubu Baharu state by-election.
Private sector retiree Abdul Rahim Bidin, 67, and his wife, Noraini Mansor, 65, started their journey from 5.00 am and the journey took them more than two hours to reach the polling station.
“After voting I will drive home… we came down here because voting is our responsibility. I would drive back and forth to vote in every election and we have been doing it for the past 10 years,” he said when met by reporters at the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Khing Ming voting centre here today.
Abdul Rahim came to the polling station using a cane with Noraini to cast their ballot papers at the same polling station.
Meanwhile, another voter, Rodznah Bakar, 61, did not want to miss the opportunity to fulfil her duty and came with her husband to the polling centre as early as 7.00 am despite suffering from pain in her legs and having to use a wheelchair. Rodznah cast her vote at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kuala Kubu Baharu.
“My husband and I went out as early as seven this morning even though the location of the polling station is close to the house in Taman Pesara. We booked a rental car last night to take us to the polling station since my husband and I can’t drive ourselves.
“I would like to thank the Election Commission (EC) staff who helped make it easier for us to vote today,” she said.
Meanwhile, according to the EC, the turnout for the by-election was 18.05 per cent as of 10 this morning and the voting process took place in good weather conditions.
The by-election was a four-cornered clash between Pang Sock Tao (Pakatan Harapan), Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau Ke Xin (Independent). It was held following the death of the previous assemblywoman, Lee Kee Hiong, 58, on March 21 from cancer.
Pang emerged victorious after the completion of the vote count.
— BERNAMA