They made GE15 memorable
Published on: Sunday, December 18, 2022
By: Sherell Jeffrey
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Chung arriving at her polling centre in a wheelchair (left pic). Cikgu Alip all dressed up for polling day (right pic).
New leaders were made and some who veterans had a false notion of themsevles were shown the door by voters.
Special mention must be made about how disabilities, illnesses and flash floods did not deter Sabahans from exercising their civic responsibility as voters during the 15th General Election.
Chung Kui Ching, 102, was among them, voting in Likas at 8.45am. Last year, she made headlines for being the oldest Malaysian to get vaccinated.
Chung, according to her family, never fails to vote; in fact, this was her 15th election.
Meanwhile, in Kalabakan, Cikgu Alip, showed up at the polling station dressed as Malaysia’s superhero “Ejen Ali” to encourage young voters to come out to vote.
In Keningau, firemen helped 40 voters from SK Rancangan Belia Tiulon after the main road was inundated up to the waist level owing to flash floods early on election day.
Two trucks from the Sook and Tenom Fire and Rescue Station were used to transport voters from the Rancangan Belia Tiulon intersection to the polling station, allowing them to fulfil their obligation to vote at that venue.
Voters from SK Rancangan Belia Tiulon being assisted by firemen.
A voter arriving at her voting centre in a wheelchair.
Young people voted for the first time in the GE15, with many arriving at their polling places as early as 7.30am.
Businesses in the state capital also helped to encourage Malaysians to vote by providing special discounts to those who voted on November 19.
To acquire access to the exclusive discounts, an indelible ink mark on the forefinger was all that was required.
According to the Election Commission, the final voter nationwide turnout for the GE15 was 73.89 per cent.
This does not include the three parliamentary constituencies of Padang Serai, Baram, and Kota Marudu.
Meanwhile, Sabah and Labuan has a total of 1,689,387 registered voters, whereby Sepanggar and Lahad Datu had the most registered voters, with a total of 108,370 and 100,256, respectively, while Kimanis had the fewest, with a total of 40,763 registered voters.
A total of 1,068,532 people out of the 1,689,387 registered voters in Sabah and Labuan came out to vote (not including spoilt votes).
Kimanis and Papar had the highest voter turnout rates, with 77.3 and 73.9 percent, respectively.
Semporna had the lowest voter turnout (55.4 per cent), followed by Lahad Datu (59.5 per cent) and Tawau (50.0 per cent), respectively.
Sepanggar and Kota Belud had the most spoilt votes, with a total of 1,359 and 1,235 spoilt votes, respectively, while Labuan had the fewest, with a total of 313.
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