This is the moment we have been waiting for. I have already cast my ballot, have you? It was peaceful and orderly at the polling booth. I could see dedicated volunteers and officials.
But I think the Election Commission must be allergic to ink – especially the indelible variety. Instead of a ball-point pen, they provide you with a pencil in the polling booth.
Last night, a human rights activist said something that struck me: “Polling day is like a sacred day. I can feel the aura of quietness inside the polling centre, in the classroom. It is something yang murni.”
Yes, it is a sacred day. And we have a heavy responsibility to make the right choice while exorcising any would-be phantoms.
There is an air of expectation.
I met one of my neighbours, an elderly Chinese Malaysian, this morning as he and his family were returning home after they had voted.
“How did it go?” I asked him.
He hesitated a moment, and then said solemnly, “There’s a strong wind blowing.”
Yes, the winds of change are blowing. Will they be enough to blow away the phantoms, though? That’s not even considering the postal ballots, over which hang many question marks.
Do the right thing and vote for Malaysia. Vote for democracy, vote for justice and reforms. Share with me your polling day impressions below, won’t you?
| Please help to support this blog if you can. Read the commenting guidlelines for this blog. |
Today marks the end of a long period of decline which started with Mahathir’s rise. That period peaked (or more accurately, plummeted) during Anwar’s arrest and trial in 1998. After today, we want to see Mahathir’s legacy purged. For that to happen, Anwar must start with a clean slate. He must renounce his past associations with corruption and racist policies. Malaysians want change – not just the driver of the vehicle, but a different vehicle and a different direction altogether. It is time for Malaysia to rebuild so that all its citizens may equally contribute towards a nation which can… Read more »
I’m a first time voter and it was an exhilarating process. I could literally hear my heart thumping as I cast my vote followed by a rush of relief. Yes, I have exercised my right! Can’t say the same for my fellow colleagues, some whine about the current government but have not even bothered registering to vote. As Gandhi says “We must become the change we want to see in the world”. No point in complaining if you are not going to step up to the plate and do something about it. You decide what to wear/eat/watch don’t you? So… Read more »
Voted this morning at 10am for Keadilan’s Sivarasa P107 & Elizabeth Wong N37 Subang. Shocked to find all the EC workers using pencil at entrance, upon collecting no. slips (booth 1, 2 or 3) & when handing out voting slips. After voting, I asked EC worker, why pencil, why not pen? I said pencil, you can rub off & mark differently, she said, don’t worry. The female worker said, it has always been this way in the past elections. All rakyat who care about clean, fair & balanced elections must come together & demand that we reform the EC. The… Read more »
Voted at Titiwangsa in KL. Some grumblings and cursing from the older folks due to their having to walk up a flight of stairs to the voting room. It is difficult to gage the sentiment in Titiwangsa as it is a BN stronghold. The winds of change are not as strong compared to the hurricanes in Penang 😉
Sorry for the typing errors – weraing =wearing, wasin = was in, stiation =station. My apology.
I voted this morning in puchong jaya constituency..why allow BN volunteers to check our voting stream under BN booth instead of neutral booth?..it gives the impression that BN party is in charge which can be intimidating to those unfamiliar with the voting process..it also make it looks like BN election..
For the first time in my life I’ve taken the responsibilty to vote! Yes, I’m a first-time voter and I know there are many out just like me. http://www.danielykl.com/blog/2008/02/29/the-internet-influence-my-vote/ I was at the polling station around 11am, weraing my red sport shirt. A man who wasin a red shirt was talking over the phone and he told the person on the other end of the line that he is at the polling stiation – voting for DAP – loud and clear. And when he saw me, he gave me a thumb-up, and said. “we are sure to win this time.”… Read more »
Polling day is another day of family get together to me. This time we have all voted for change. My polling station is in a small town in Pahang where population are mostly chinese. The polling agents and SPR officials are friendly and helpful. What I noticed was that the turn up of youngster are encouraging. This is a good sign to most of us. Besides, I could see many elderly turned up as well. It should be a peaceful polling day. But inside my heart I wish to see the change that many of us are yearning of. By… Read more »
This time when we all cast our votes
It’s like taking part in political revolt
Trying to make a change of significant note
Without having to learn any bitter lesson just by rote.
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 080308
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
http://msi.Rocky101.com
Sat. 8th Mar. 2008.
I casted my vote in Kota Damansara P107 and DUN39 before 9am. It was peaceful and well organised. I noticed that the polling lines were separated by age group. Was it the same in other areas? This time around I have made a bold move and VOTED FOR CHANGE. I want Sivarasa to be my voice in Parliament and Dr.Nasir for ADUN. The BN candidate for ADUN Dtk Zein doesnt care an inch about the Environment and the raping of the reserve forest of Kota Damansara. Such arrogance. Happy to note that my family in Penang have all voted for… Read more »
yes its very calm and the official who announce your name loud and clear remind me that its me voting for change and i respond correctly that i m responsible for the justification of our land!
I just came back from casting my vote in Prai. It was peaceful and orderly. Maybe it was early in the morning about 8.15am. Many are still catching up their sleep after attendinglate night ceramah.
The Parliamentary candidate is DAP Profesor Ramasamy who is standing as ADUN too.
YES! PROUD TO TELL YOU THAT MY FAMILY AND NEIGHBOURS VOTED FOR HIM!!!
Went to vote around 11.30. Paya Terubong, Bkt Gelugor. Went with my wife, daughter and granddaughter, all wearing RED and in our RED car. Hope to see lots of RED shirts but disappointed. But I have confidence that the ROCKET will blast off to the sky by to night!!
The polling station at Kolej Islam in Klang was very orderly but noticed that BN was still campaigning, discretely asking the voters to vote for BN. They did not approach me for whatever reason. My gut feeling is that the maximum the oppositon will win is another 20 parliamentary seats. But however, one thing is noticeable for sure i.e. there is dent in the race politics with the emergence Anwar, Keadilan and the Barison Rakyat [Alternatif]. Only with eradication of race politics will we see a formidable opposition in Malaysia. Hope non race based feelings or voting becomes stronger in… Read more »
I am a first time voter. I voted for “bulan” for parlimen and “mata” for dun. I do not like PAS but I still voted for it coz i hate umno which is veryyyyyy racist toward indian minority.
Hope pas will take care of our tamil schools and do not demolish our kafirs’ berhala temples. I give stern warning.
me, a malaysian chinese, i have never taken election seriously until this year. voted only twice in my life but always for BN cause of my fear of PAS. This year, no more cause I have woken up to the fact that PAS is a more honest and caring party than the corrupt BN. I have just voted for Dr Lo Lo of PAS who is standing in Titiwangsa.
I voted for the first time today. I pray that my vote for the opposition will make a change in my area, Tmn Bukit Belimbing! I pray for the Wind of Change to blow as hard as possible. It’s time to change indeed, we need to be one as a nation not divided by races!
Went early morning with the mum to avoid the expected rain (which did fall) and the working crowd.
Small school in Canning state seat for Ipoh Timur, only 3 streams. From checking my stream (just to confirm) to casting my vote, it took me only 5 minutes.
The air was quiet and serious, and everything looked peaceful and calm, especially with the police around.
It felt good to ‘lose my virginity’ 🙂
Luckily this time the ballot boxes are transparent, so I could peek in! I started peeking from outside the room and was peeking at it all the way. I stood near the boxes pretending to fold the paper tightly, but I was still peeeking!
All, and I mean all, and I am not saying this to feel good or anything, the ballot papers that were open and visible, had crosses on the top most box. And there were many such open ballot papers.
The top most box belongs to Nurul Izzah Anwar.
I voted this afternoon.. for CHANGE at the Damansara Utama constituenc. Yes we badly need this change for our country. Penang lang showed us the way by their tremendous display of courage and faith by coming out in their thousands to support this tsunami for change. Congratulations to all who have responded. we can now only pray the santity of our vote and choice is RESPECTED and accepted.
Voted at 2.30 pm under Rasah Parliamentary seat and Bukit Kepayang state seat.
Voted for DAP candidates to fight against corruption, non-independent judiciary, cronyism ,nepotism, abuse of power, mismanagement , incompentencies, high inflation, high crime rate……. and all misdeeds of BN.
I have been in US for the last two weeks, rescheduled my flights and took a 18 hours flight and reached KLIA at 12pm- managed to get to the polling station about 3pm.
I was suprised by the use of pencils too, and what happened to the special inks ?? i didnt see any used today ? did anyone else see it ?
I voted at SJK Sin Kang in Farlim, Penang shortly after noon… (P48/N23)
The crowd was orderly and I observed that there was quiet determination in the face of the voters I came across…
Wind of Change?
On my way there… the traffic was exceptionally heavy and traffic was also heavy in front of the polling stations… Look like there are more people this time around going out to vote.
Being a Penangnite… I pray for the change or at the very least… a shocking wake up call!! 🙂
Makkal Sakthi
Casted my votes at USJ8, 3pm this afternoon. Took me only less than 10 minutes to do so as there were not many voters at the time. Saw more people checking their particulars at the DAP booth than the BN.
Proud to say my votes went to PKR (Parliament) & DAP (State). BTW, I’m a Malay.
This is the 2nd time I am voting. I never bothered to even register until I had 2 kids. Mine is in Subang Jaya. I voted with the hope that tomorrow will be the dawn of a new beginning for all Malaysians. CHANGE. I want my children to grown up in a country where they are treated equally as everyone else and given equal opportunity.
And I take my hats off to the young politicians of the Barisan Rakyat .. they echo exactly what I feel and want! God bless us all!