POLLING DAY

Phew . . . I've just returned from my 'morning walk' to the polling station at the Malacca Girls' High School. I put on my sneakers and my track-bottom and walked briskly all along the way, stopping now and then to greet Nyonya Surat-Khabar (the newspaper lady) and Ah Meng and her sisters at their sundry shop also Ketat and his gang lobbying voters for their party. The morning was bright and sunny which was a blessing this polling day. Everybody I met was chirpy and very friendly. The different parties contesting provided transport to and from the polling stations but I graciously refused preferring to 'exercise' instead. It took me 15 minutes to reach the School, 2 minutes lining up to vote and 15 minutes to walk home. That was not too bad, was it? For your information, Iman, Amal and Iddin, this is the 12th General Election of Malaysia. The last 11th General Election was on 21st. March 2004. I remember at the last Election, I took your late Grandma Nek Noi to the polling station at Durian Daun Girls School where I wheeled her to the polling booth. Well, here are some scenes depicting the excitement before D-day and the day itself today, 8th March 2008 :

You could see banners, posters all over town, maybe looked slightly untidy, but it's O.K. After all it's only once in four years and only for a couple of weeks.

Even decked on buildings . . .

Above is a scene on Polling Day, a checking-station put up by one of the competing parties.

Caught sight of Mak Timah and Siti Aminah (in the wheel-chair) after they had casted their votes at the Melaka Girls' High School.

Ah well, we had done our duties as loyal citizens. I hope the winning representatives would do their job and not forget us, the voters. Until the next election . . . .