PONTIAN: After completing 12 hours on duty since last night, a policeman at the Pontian District Police Headquarters (IPD), here still wanted to discharge his responsibility as a voter, when he became the first person to arrive at the early voting centre for the Tanjung Piai Parliamentary By-Election.
Corporal Yahya Mohd Ariff, 56, who had just completed his working shift, arrived as early as 8 am and did not expect to become the earliest voter at the early voting centre at the Bangunan Persatuan Keluarga Polis (Perkep) located within the IPD compound.
“Certainly feeling very tired, because I had just completed 12 hours of work, but then it was a duty.
“My shift ended at 8 am, but my responsibility as a voter should be discharged first, only then would I return home,” he told reporters after having cast his ballot for the Kukup State Assembly seat.
Corporal Yahya, who had served 13 years at the Pontian IPD, said it was the third time he was voting throughout his service in the police force.
“I have voted for three times, this is the first time I get the number one (first to cast the vote).
“Like the previous occasion, I find there is no difference (in the process) between the general election and the by-election,” he said while hoping that the early voting process would run smoothly.
Meanwhile, Lans Koperal Shahril Rosli, 28, said he came to cast his vote first before working this morning.
“I woke up at 6.30 this morning, dressed up before getting ready to vote. Although I had to rush, I will not miss the opportunity to vote today,” he said.
Having served the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for nine years, he also hoped the early voting process would run smoothly without any undesired incidence occurring.
A total of 280 police personnel were recorded as early voters for the Tanjung Piai Parliamentary constituency today.
For the early voting today, the Early Voting Centre for the Pekan Nanas state constituency (Channel 1) was opened from 8 am until 1 pm while for the Kukup state constituency (Channel 2) , voting would open from 8 am until 5 pm.
The Tanjung Piai Parliamentary by-election was being held following the death of the incumbent Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 42, from Pakatan Harapan (PH) on Sept 21 this year due to heart complication. Polling Day is this Saturday.
The by-election will see a six-cornered contest between the PH candidate Karmaine Sardini, Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng; Gerakan candidate Wendy Subramaniam; Parti Barisan Jemaah Islamiah (Berjasa) President Dr Badrulhisham Abdul Aziz and two Independent candidates, Dr Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.
The Tanjung Piai Parliamentary constituency has 52,986 voters comprising 52,698 ordinary voters, 280 early voters and eight absentee voters. – Bernama
