Friday, November 18, 2022

Postal Voting for General Election GE15 Malaysia

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You matter, and so does your vote

From a lonely voter

THOUSANDS of homesick Malay-sians have already cast their votes through the post, will you be joining them?

People are predicting a general election for the books and no matter what the outcome is, the real shame would be if you don’t vote. The tiresome process that I needed to undergo to exercise my democratic right via the postal ballot left me questioning whether it was worth it – the answer is always yes.

A large portion of overseas voters are students who happen to be first-timers in the whole voting conundrum, and I was one of them. Growing up, my parents instilled in their children the idea that it is important and necessary for us to vote when the time comes. That the responsibility of ensuring we live in a democratic and civilised society does not only fall only on politicians but also on us rakyat too.

Malaysia has been in political turmoil for, arguably, almost two decades, leaving citizens feeling hopeless. Despite the frustrations that we all feel (no matter which side you are on), the main way for us to keep whatever parts of democracy we have left is to show up and vote.

Thankfully for Malaysians in the UK, we were blessed with the kind people of VoteMalaysia who helped us send our votes back. VoteMalay-sia is a nonpartisan coalition of 14 Malaysian youth organisations that strive to keep voting accessible and achievable. If it weren’t for this option, I was looking at paying a minimum of £30 (that is more than RM160!) to post my ballot – and that is only if my ballot arrived on time.

VoteMalaysia set up camps all over Britain; one of them is at the Malaysian Hall in Queensborough Terrace, London. A 20-minute walk and three train changes later, there I was looking up at our Jalur Gemilang drenched in rain at No.34, Queensborough Terrace. Being there with dozens of other Malay-sians eager to bid farewell to a piece of paper, a symbol of our democracy, was an uplifting experience.

If someone had told me four years ago that I would cast my first vote through the post while living in a small flat in London I wouldn’t have believed them.

The rigorous process of applying for postal voting privileges and scrutinising every personal detail on the form scared me. I thought I might make a mistake and that doing so would lose me my right to vote in this election (which happened to my housemate!). The tedious process boiled down to a moment in my living room with my ballot on the ironing board – and I just voted.

Well, OK, not really. You see, the one good thing about voting via post is that you have time to really think about which name you will mark with an “X”. It took me two days to decide, and really, this was the only upside to postal voting for me. As I looked down at my checked ballot and unfortunately stainless finger, I knew I was doing the right thing by voting.

Despite the postal ballot not being my preferred way to vote, it taught me a lot about being a Malaysian. As I was changing my third train that night to send off my ballot, a sense of homesickness washed over me. I wanted to experience queuing up with my family and friends back home and leaving with an ink-stained finger, possibly even bragging about said finger all over Insta-gram.

But that was not on the cards for me. Instead, I was voting alone in a foreign country and wishing the best for Malaysia.

SARAH TAUFEK, London

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Step to vote in GE15

For the first time in the country, Malaysian youths aged 18 and above can vote.

WITH the 15th General Election polling day just around the corner, Malaysians who are eligible to vote will be mulling over their choices of a candidate to represent them in the affairs of running the country.

Many will be travelling, if not already on their way, back to their hometowns to cast that all-important ballot.

The excitement is palpable among some first-time voters who are gearing up for their opportunity to make a difference in the nation’s future.

StarMetro find out from a few new voters how they are preparing for Saturday and what they plan to do after casting their vote.

Umbrella is one of the essential things to bring along when voting in the monsoon season.

1. Prepared for rain

As it is currently the monsoon season, rain can be expected on polling day.

The young voters have already picked out an umbrella or raincoat to take along and avoid getting drenched.

“It may be sunny in the morning, so you think it won’t rain. But as it often happens, the moment you step out from your house, the sky turns dark and it starts to pour!” said Tan Wei Ming, a volunteer in Malaysian Red Crescent Society.

“So yes, I’ll be bringing an umbrella with me when I go out to vote,” the 22-year-old added.

Attending ceramah is one of the ways for youths to get information before they can decide who to vote for.

2. Gathering information

As the newly minted voters have no experience in voting and not much knowledge about politics, an avenue for the youths to learn and make an informed decision is by attending ceramah (political talks).

“We would gather with friends and attend the public talks together.

“It is exciting to see in person the public personalities we have heard and read about, including Uncle Kentang. I am thrilled to listen to their talks too,“ said Tan.

3. Seeking wise counsel

Parents are often the first and primary source of advice for the youths voting in their first general election.

Tan along with 18-year-olds Wong Zhi Qi and Leong Wei Qi look to their own parents for constructive opinions when it comes to candidate choice.

They said that they had discussed with the older folks at home about the achievements and contributions made by candidates in their respective constituencies.

4. Parents’ choice

At the end of the day, if they are still unable to make up their mind, the youths say they will just decide that “parents know best” and vote according to their parents’ choice of candidate or party.

5. Look-at-me hair

The adventurous young voters passionate about the parties they support might turn up with hair dyed in the corresponding colours.

Some may be considering showing up at polling centres with attention-grabbing hair colour to liven things up.

Tan will be embarking on a food trail when he is back in his hometown of Penang.

6. Looking for food

Tan, who is taking a diploma in culinary art, is looking forward to a food-tasting outing around the polling centre where he is voting.

“It is always hectic for college students, especially for those who need to rush to their part-time job after classes.

“I have been eating mixed rice since I started college and I am bored with it

“I can finally use this opportunity to look for what’s good to eat around the polling centre,” he said.

He added that he would first be headed to a Korean barbeque restaurant after voting.

7. Looking for food (Part II)

Tan is also determined to hunt down traditional food while back in his hometown of Penang.

“I will take this opportunity to visit the traditional restaurants that are still surviving in my hometown, as a lot of them have closed down after the Covid-19 pandemic hit and the subsequent movement control order,” he said, adding that he would always give his support to such eateries whenever he could.

8. Shopping time

In light of the numerous offers from retail stores to encourage Malaysians to go out to vote, the young voters are seizing this chance to do their shopping for Christmas as well as everyday essentials.

Voters only need to show their index finger with the indelible ink to be eligible for the special deals and promotions in conjunction with the general election.

College students like Tan are looking forward to the various discounts, as for them it would mean savings in expenses for numerous things from clothes and shoes to skincare and toiletries.

“A lot of discounts are available at malls, we just have to show our inked index finger,” said Wei Qi, who is working part-time at a mobile phone shop in Puchong, Selangor.

“Then I’ll post the photos on IG!” she added.

9. Meet and chill

This is a great opportunity for people who have been away from home to catch up with their parents, family members and friends.

“I can finally lepak (hang out) at home and chill out with my pet. I miss my dog,” said Tan.

“More importantly, because of the public holiday, I have an extra day to sleep in,” he said.

He is also planning to catch a movie with friends the day after polling.

“College students do not have enough time to hang out with friends because we are occupied with assignments, exams and part-time job or volunteer activities. So this short break is a great time for me to meet up with friends here,” he said.

He added that he would also be using the free time to catch up on Asian television dramas.

Zhi Qi says voters going back home for polling day should take the time to de-clutter their bedroom. .

Zhi Qi says voters going back home for polling day should take the time to de-clutter their bedroom.

10. De-clutter mission

Zhi Qi, who is from Kajang, pointed out that those from out-of-town would usually pack a lot of things to bring back home.

“So de-cluttering the bedroom is a must. We need to clear out our old stuff so that we can have space for new things,” she said.

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Thursday, November 17, 2022

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