Proposal made for EC to provide wheelchairs at every polling station

SIBU: A call has been made for the Election Commission ( EC) to ensure that wheelchairs are provided at every polling station for the convenience of the elderly voters and those with restricted mobility.

Assistant Minister of Education and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee raised this matter following concerns raised by some Nangka constituents over the nonavailability of wheelchair for the elderly voters at SJKC Methodist here yesterday.

It is said that a voter was

This matter (provision of wheelchairs) should be looked into because there are old people and this (distance from the drop-off point to the polling station) is quite far – about 50m. Wheelchairs should be stationed at every polling station.

overheard asking an Election Commission ( EC) worker if there was any wheelchair, pointing out that there were many elderly voters coming from the villages.

It is learnt that polling stations with a sizeable number of ‘saluran’ (streams) were provided with wheelchairs.

On this Dr Annuar, who is Nangka assemblyman, remarked: “This matter ( provision of wheelchairs) should be looked into because there are old people and this (distance from the dropoff point to the polling station) is quite far – about 50m. Wheelchairs should be stationed at every polling station.”

Dr Annuar was among the early birds, arriving at the polling station in SJKC Methodist at 8.04am and casting his ballot at 8.13am. His parents Rapaee Tarip and Fatimah Othman also cast their votes there.

Dr Annuar Rapaee, Nangka assemblyman

Dr Annuar (right) and his parents pose for the camera.

Dr Annuar casts his vote.

Local voter Mohamed Saleman, 57, from Kampung Baharu shows his left index finger, marked with the indelible ink.