The public holidays declared by the state and federal governments yesterday and today enabled several voters from Tanjong Manis parliamentary constituency to cast their votes today.

Erize Anne, 32, who works in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, had initially decided not to vote in the parliamentary election due insufficient free days for travelling.

However, after the government announced Nov 18-19 as public holidays in addition to Nov 20 offered by her employer, she reconsidered and flew home yesterday.

“It’s my second time to exercise my voting rights after the first one in GE14. However, I missed the last state election due to fear of Covid-19 and that there was no extra holiday offered by the government then,” she told The Borneo Post after voting at SK Agama polling station here today.

Her younger sister, Pamela Anne, 23, who is doing her internship in Petaling Jaya, Selangor was very keen to experience voting for the first time.

Being a student, she tried to get a sponsored flight offered by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), but was unsuccessful.

“Due to my strong determination to vote, I managed to convince my parents to sponsor my airfare and I am glad they considered my request”, she said.

“Off course I’m also very thankful to the firm, which accepted me as an intern, for allowing me to work online for a week.”

Meeza Zaim, 20, the sisters’ niece, took the opportunity of a one-week special holiday extended by the Ministry of Higher Education to experience voting for the first time.

The second year Diploma in Accountancy student at Mukah Polytechnic qualified to cast her ballot upon automatic voter registration.

Tanjong Manis, which has a total of 32,948 registered voters, is a straight fight between Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) incumbent Yusuf Abd Wahab and Zainab Suhaili of Pakatan Harapan (PH).     

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by ANTHONY AGA

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