Senior citizens out in full force to cast votes in Melaka polls

KUALA LUMPUR – All eyes have been on Melaka over the past two weeks, despite a tranquilised campaign atmosphere.

Hard work by candidates and their supporters boiled down to the polls that opened at 8am today.

At noon, voter turnout was 36%, according to the Election Commission.

And it was not only candidates who stole the limelight at polling stations.

The election saw senior citizens coming out in full force to cast their votes.

Among them was 85-year-old Sedah Kassim, mother of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh who is vying for the Tg Bidara seat. Sedah cast her vote at SK Jeram, reported The Vibes sister portal Getaran.

In SK Durian Tunggal, Che Ta Md Som, 89, and her 90-year-old husband Fajar Hasan were also seen casting their ballots.

The couple – who had been voting at elections even before independence – did not waste the opportunity to exercise their democratic right today, saying they do not fear Covid-19 as they are fully vaccinated.

In fact, the first time Che Ta had exercised her right to vote was in 1955 during the first general election, when she was only 23. 

Although they come from a big family – including 18 grandkids in total – Fajar said not voting is not an option for the couple, who were both up at dawn to ensure they are able to cast their ballots today. 

The duo voted in the Durian Tunggal constituency where Zahari Abd Kalil (BN), Sofi Wahab (Pakatan Harapan), Ja’afar Othman (Perikatan Nasional), and Mohd Erfan Mahrila (independent) are competing.

Meanwhile, key candidates in the state polls have cast their votes.

Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who is contesting the Tg Bidara seat, cast her ballot at SK Ramuan China Besar this morning.

Mas Ermieyati is one of 16 female candidates vying for a seat at the state assembly.

Should her coalition PN win the election, Mas Ermieryati – who also serves as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) – could see herself becoming the first female chief minister (CM) for Melaka.

However, she is not the only cabinet member eyeing a state seat as BN’s Datuk Lim Ban Hong contests in the Klebang constituency.

Not getting along

This situation – which pits PN and BN head-to-head – formed the subject matter of Parliament over the past few weeks as PH politicians tried pointing out to voters that component coalitions in the federal government are not getting along.

But those comments did not evade BN MPs either, given that plain-speaking Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin has urged for political stability.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that BN will be wresting away seats from their federal partner PN.

And one candidate that Mas Ermieyati has to watch out for is BN’s Rauf, who competes for the same Tg Bidara seat.

This morning, Rauf submitted his vote at Balai Raya Kg Pulau.

Rauf serves as Melaka Umno chairman and has expressed confidence in a BN victory, suggesting the coalition may win 17 seats today.

BN’s CM candidate Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali and his wife cast their votes at SK Durian Daun (K) Masjid Tanah for the Lendu constituency.

Sulaiman, who is trying to get back the top seat in Melaka, was ousted from the CM’s office after four assemblymen withdrew their support for him.

But the other candidates are not expected to give Sulaiman an easy fight, given that PH fielded Muhammad Asri Ibrahim, 35 – one of the 11 youth candidates nominated by the coalition who are expected to disrupt the state’s political scene.

Then, there is the ever-persistent and controversial Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee who cast his vote at Taman Datuk Tamby Chik Karim for the Pengkalan Batu seat.

A seat he is very confident of winning, citing the constituency’s loyalty towards him despite his plain-spoken persona.

From the PH coalition, their CM candidate Adly Zahari has cast his vote at SK Sg Udang for the Bukit Katil seat.

Just like BN’s Sulaiman, Adly is hoping to get back the CM post that was taken away from him last year after the state government fell following the infamous Sheraton Move.

However, Adly may not have an easy time, given Rauf has expressed confidence that BN’s Datuk Hasnoor Sidang Husin would win the seat. – The Vibes, November 20, 2021