Voters in Tanjung Bidara arrived as early as 7am to beat crowds and cast their ballots before heading to work in the 16th Melaka state election.
MELAKA: Voters began arriving as early as 7am at SK Jeram in Tanjung Bidara today, hoping to beat the crowds and cast their ballots before heading to work in the 16th Melaka state election.
The polling centre initially saw a steady trickle of early arrivals before more voters began turning up from around 8.15am.
Among the earliest was Norhafizah Mohd Zati, 45, who was the first to register at the centre before casting her ballot at around 8am.
She said she decided to arrive early after seeing social media posts indicating that many voters had returned to Melaka for the election.
“I saw on social media that many people were returning to vote, so I thought it would be better to come early before the crowds arrived.
“I was also eager to vote because I wanted to choose a new leader for Tanjung Bidara.
“I hope this election will bring positive developments to Tanjung Bidara and Malacca as a whole,” she said.
Private sector technician Loganathan Murugan, 30, who arrived at around 7.30am, said he wanted to cast his vote before reporting for work.
He also expressed confidence in Barisan Nasional (BN), citing the coalition’s experience in governing.
“Many people still trust experienced leaders, and I believe BN should be given another opportunity to govern.
“There are too many political issues and disputes without clear solutions. We should give BN another chance and see what it can do,” he said.
Similarly, factory operator Rohana Yasin, 46, who arrived at 7am, said she wanted to vote early before heading to work.
She also expressed satisfaction with the outgoing state administration’s performance, particularly its development efforts.
“Alhamdulillah, Melaka has developed tremendously and become more widely recognised.
“Just look at the Merdeka celebrations. I think Melaka’s celebrations were even more impressive than Kuala Lumpur’s this year,” she said.
Meanwhile, retiree Lew Chee Pin, 66, who arrived at around 7.30am with his wife, said the couple preferred voting early to avoid long queues.
“My hope is simply for the economy to improve. The economic situation is uncertain, not just in Malaysia but around the world.
“Regardless of who governs, what matters is that the economy improves,” he said.
Caretaker Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh was scheduled to cast his vote at the same polling centre at 8.30am.
Melaka voters are casting their ballots today to elect representatives for the state’s 28 legislative assembly seats, with polling scheduled from 8am to 6pm.
