NIBONG TEBAL: Despite being in a wheelchair due to a stroke, Rosnah Ramli was determined to cast her vote in the Sungai Bakap by-election.

The 50-year-old housewife from Taman Sungai Duri, who came by ambulance to the SK Sungai Duri polling station, said she did not want her condition to stop her from exercising her democratic right.

“I have never failed to vote. I did my duty during the last state election and the 15th General Election,” she said.

Rosnah was one of the 5,745 registered voters at the Sungai Duri district polling station (PDMs).

Rosnah proved to be an inspiration, showing that personal adversity does not have to hinder one’s ability to contribute to the democratic process.

There are eight PDMs in Sungai Bakap with 65 polling channels and 39,151 eligible voters.

Salmah Saad was another Nibong Tebal resident who showed her devotion to democracy. The 52-year-old teacher does not vote in Sungai Bakap but her septuagenarian parents do.

She was seen manoeuvring her mother’s wheelchair while holding on to her father’s hand while leading them into the Sungai Duri voting centre.

“I vote elsewhere but this is their constituency, so I drove them over to cast their votes,” she said.

“My mother broke her leg a few years ago and never fully recovered. She is in a wheelchair now, while my father is old and struggles to walk but I encouraged them to come vote.

“They are kampung folk and do not realise that their votes matter, so as children we must encourage them.”

Salmah said it took her a while to get them ready and into the car, but she somehow managed.

Heavily pregnant and just after her night shift, nurse Khairunisa Md Radzi, 36, did not want to miss her chance to choose a new representative for Sungai Bakap.

“Although I am exhausted after my night shift, I turned up at 8am because I wanted to come early and vote, then I can head home and rest before my shift tonight,” said Khairunisa, who is eight months pregnant, when met at the SK Sungai Bakap polling station.

First time voter Muhammad Zairi Hakimi Zairizam, 19, admitted to being nervous before he arrived at SK Sungai Duri with his mother Norlida Hashim, 43.

“On the eve of polling day, I even made sure that I reconfirmed my details on the Election Commission website because I didn’t want any mistakes to happen.

“I’m glad to have cast my vote and made it count in the whole democratic process,” he said, expressing his pride and satisfaction.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/07/disability-health-ailments-and-pregnancy-no-obstacle-to-voting