SEMENYIH: The Election Commission (EC) has been praised for its efforts to facilitate the voting process for today’s by-election in Semenyih.
They include the introduction of the voter’s card containing all the necessary information required by a voter, such as the polling centre, stream, serial number and voting time.
The commission also made available buggy service for use by senior citizens, persons with disabilities (OKU) and pregnant women.
The polling centres for the Semenyih state by-election opened at 8am today, and everywhere, there was only praise from the voters.
V. Shirenmala, 40, said it took her less than 10 minutes to carry out her responsibility as a voter.
“With the voter’s car, it is easier and there is no need to wait for a long period. Just show the card and the election worker took me straight away to the polling stream,” she told Bernama after casting her vote at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Engku Husain in Kampung Baru Semenyih, here today.
Mohd Akmal Aziz, 33, who went to vote with his mother, Salbiah Ahmad, 57, he praised and thanked the EC for providing the facilities for the senior citizens and OKU.
“From the entrance (at the polling centre to the polling stream), it is quite far, and with the hot weather, my mother is not fit to walk the distance. The EC worker came with the buggy and we were taken to the polling stream,” he added.
Many voters seemed to go to the polls early to avoid the afternoon heat, especially with the current hot weather.
Ng Ja Wei, 38, said she went to vote early, but also brought along an umbrella to shelter her from the sun.
A total of 53,411 ordinary voters are eligible to vote in the Semenyih by-election which was called following the death of their incumbent assemblyman, Bakhtiar Mohd Nor, from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) due to a heart attack last Jan 11.
The by-election witnessed a four-cornered contest involving Muhammad Aiman Zainali, from Pakatan Harapan; Zakaria Hanafi (Barisan Nasional), Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) and an independent candidate Kuan Chee Heng. — Bernama
