SEMENYIH: Fifty-nine-year-old A. Rahim Md Top is oxygen dependent and has to have his oxygen tank with him wherever he goes, but that is no hindrance for him to discharge his responsibility as a responsible Malaysian being a registered voter in the Semenyih state constituency today.
Wheel-chair bound, A. Rahim was among the early birds to queue at the polling centre at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Bandar Seri Putra here.
“I have to come early because of my health. The weather is hot now, so I have to be early as it will be hotter later in the day.
“I left home with my daughter and neighbour, but my daughter is at another polling stream. So, my neighbour accompanies me to help carry my oxygen tank while I cast my vote,” he said when met by reporters after casting his vote.
The Semenyih by-election witnessed a four-cornered contest among Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Muhammad Aiman Zainali; Zakaria Hanafi, of Barisan Nasional (BN), independent candidate Kuan Chee Heng and Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul, from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
The by-election was called following the death of its incumbent assemblyman, Bakhtiar Mohd Nor, 57, from a heart attack last Jan 11.
Anuar Shaharom, 65, who is also on a wheel-chair, said he is excited, as it will be the 10th time he is voting at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kantan Indah in Kajang near here.
“The first time that I went to vote was about 45 years ago, and since then, the EC has done a good job, the voting process is better now,” he added.
Another senior citizen, Jamarudin Darus, 63, who is a government retiree, said Malaysians who are eligible to vote should exercise their right if they are responsible citizens.
Meanwhile, a survey by Bernama in an area at SK Kantan Indah found about 10 wheel-chairs available and they are provided by the EC for use by senior citizens and people with disabilities (OKU).
Residents in the area have taken the opportunity of the fine weather to vote early to avoid the afternoon heat.
Traders also took the opportunity by selling drinks and light food along roads leading to the polling centres. — Bernama
