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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright November 2022
For his determination to walk 324km back to his home in Kelantan to vote Haikal, an OKU student from a community college in Penang deserves a medal.
Haikal who reportedly suffers from speech and mobility impairments was walking away from his campus and would have walked all the way home if his lecturer had not met him and decided to get the campus authorities to give him a helping hand.
Bus tickets from Penang to Kelantan were sold out long before the announcement of a public holiday for voting day.
So, for poor Haikal, walking was the only option left to return to his constituency to vote and he was determined to exercise his right as a citizen of the country.
When met by his lecturer, he was clearly exhausted, but he explained why he was on foot to Kelantan (WeirdKaya).
Haikal decided to make his journey on Wednesday, 16 November. He was spotted by
one of his lecturers some distance away from the college at 6pm on that day.
When met by the lecturer we are told that Haikal looked tired but resolved to continue his journey back to Kelantan.
"Despite that, he was eager to fulfil his responsibility as a registered voter. He was willing to walk home. We decided to send him back to his hometown to ensure he could make it back in time to vote on Saturday and for his safety," the college director told reporters (SAYS).
Subsequently, newsreport say the college arranged for a campus vehicle to drive Haikal a first-time voter back to Kelantan to allow him to exercise his right as a citizen that you and I take for granted.
On this Saturday 19th November we would walk from our own home to the nearest polling station cast our votes, drop by the nearest coffee shop and yak away with our friends speculating which party would win.
But for someone like 18 year old Haikal who is from a poor family whose father passed away when he was young walking 324km was the only means possible to get to his polling station and could not even afford that cuppa that you and would be enjoying after we cast our votes.
So, on this day when you are asked to exercise your right to vote for whomever you choose, stroll over to that polling station next to your house cast your vote and thank your lucky stars you do not have to walk miles for the purpose.
As for Haikal, Newswav ought to give him a medal. Perhaps call it The Determined Young Voter Award GE15.
Good luck Haikal I am voting for you.
Share your experiences, dreams and hopes for #GE15 and stand a chance to win cash prizes up to RM16,500! Find out how you can participate here.
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