Sunday 14 November 2010

Voting tales

I was back in KL last week for a conference and met up with some interesting people. And as usual, we talked about our work and where we are from in the first lunch and moved on to our hobbies and interests in our second lunch and by the third lunch… the usual topic crept in… politics.

2 particular sharing stood out…

There is this person who said that her father would ask everyone in the family to register as a voter as soon as they hit 21.  What great parenthood eh? 

Not quite…

While everyone is expected to register and vote, everyone is expected to vote in accordance to the father’s business connection’s needs. Her exact words were… “You know which party lah…”

And that’s reality. To the Chinese businessmen, it doesn’t matter if everything is screwed up. As long as the money keeps flowing in, that’s all that matters.

But… there is a silver lining…

“My father retired already… now we are free to vote whoever we want. So now very different already lah…”

I never asked whom she will vote, I respect her privacy.

The second sharing is a pretty straightforward one but certainly worth mentioning…

The sister of this particular person flew back from US to vote in the last election. And, her sister will be flying back again in the next election to vote.  Obviously, this person I spoke too will also be voting.

I told this to a friend and the comment was… “Aiya, rich mah… that’s why can fly back to vote. Not everyone is that rich lah”.

Well, how many of us where the voting station is just a drive away and yet, we don’t vote?




16 comments:

Birthie said...

Those are some excuses that we may already heard.

I've known people who never voted in their life before. Claimed neither party will do any good, even if they did "X" on either box.

goingkookies said...

I was seconded to JB but went back home to PJ to vote =) although there were news that buses were being stopped etc... and it wasn't safe on the roads.

Hopefully, I'll be able to fly back to vote next time round.

It's sad that many of us are ignorant about voting, some with a nonchalant attitude.

Irregardless if there is any hanky panky going on, we should still do our duty... exercise our rights.

But Malaysians will be Malaysians eh...

Terra Shield said...

We gotta encourage the young people we know to go and vote! Now I'm very glad my dad forced me to get registered the moment I turned 21.

day-dreamer said...

LOL... and the SRC is setting booths in my campus to "assist students with voter registration"...

Jerine said...

Me: Pa... who should I vote ar?

Dad: Doesn't matter. Whoever you vote we'll still get screwed.

TG said...

I think people, who don't vote, should not complain about the result. Those who did vote, should really complain about the result. I mean really.

Yvonne Foong said...

I wonder if it is because when she is already in a place of security, she is able to see better and have the freedom to champion the causes of others who are still stuck in a rut. Like for me, I have to raise funds and take care of my own need for better medical treatments before I could start to highlight the causes of other fellow patients in need of help.

Many in Malaysia are barely surviving. But ofcourse, there are the expectional few who can fight for social equality despite having little means.

Anonymous said...

yew T, come join the cake partayyyy

foreva anon

bee said...

'Well, how many of us where the voting station is just a drive away and yet, we don’t vote?'

guilty as charged!! :)
for reasons only i, can understand why.... :)

Anonymous said...

I hope BN will be voted out. He just want to built another tallest building to his credit so that his bombing of the mongolian is shadowed,and when he died, ppl will connect the building to during his reign.... at the expense of taxpayer money.

doc said...

that's life!

my friend's daughter got a JPA scholarship to study medicine in dublin. which way do you think he will vote?

sinlady said...

admirable that the woman and sister fly back to Malaysia to vote, but couldn't they vote in Malaysian embassy or diplomatic office in US? Maybe they time it to visit home at same time as voting period.

But yes, it is admirable they make it a point to vote at all.

Huei said...

speaking of this...i just heard from someone..ahem

the person's relative wana masuk MIC...so what did that fler do? ask for name n IC from EVERY relatives so they can all vote for this person...so fair eh?

Huei said...

and oh so true..so many ppl say it won't make a difference whichever party they vote..wtf..how the hell do they know if they never give the opposition a chance!?!?

zewt said...

Birthmark - when one doesnt put an X on any box... the X is already being put on the box which is in power.

goingkookies - absolutely... must fulfill out responsibility.

day-dreamer - and how many registered?

Jerine - better vote and get screwed than to not vote and get screwed.

MKL - yup... voting is the licence to complain :p

Yvonne Foong - there are many out there who are struggling to obtain funding for medical help. something needs to be done.

anon @ foreva anon - what?

zewt said...

Terra Shield - you should glad and proud of your dad...

bee - i think i know what that reason is.

anon @ 17/11 9.39pm - :)

doc - someone once told me a mail was sent to these people telling whem who to vote.

sinlady - do u do the admirable thing?

Huei - your last sentence is so true.