Vote not with your hearts alone, be sensible too

POLLING day for GE14 is more than three weeks away but there is already reason to celebrate. And it is a win for everybody.

Since the dissolution of Parliament on April 7, and more so after the Election Commission had announced the key dates for the general election, there has been a lot of attention on the importance of being able to vote on May 9.

It is a sign of active participation in the democratic process. It is good for the nation that so many people are committed to having a say in who represents them in the lawmaking bodies and ultimately, who gets to form the federal and state governments. We should all be glad.

The emphasis in these discussions is on making sure voters can get to their registered constituencies on polling day to cast their ballots.

This is why there was unhappiness over the fact that Dday is on Wednesday instead of a weekend. Although employers in Malaysia are legally obliged to give workers reasonable time off to vote, this cannot apply to those whose constituencies are several hours away.

Also, voters working in Singapore will have no such leeway; if they want to return to Malaysia to vote, it has to be on their own time.

Some voters took this in their stride, well aware that they should do all they can to fulfil their responsibility as citizens. They have decided to go on leave and have urged others to do the same.

There were reports of businesses promising to give employees ample time to go back to their hometowns to vote. Some employers have even offered to subsidise travel expenses.

The situation has since eased after May 9 has been declared a public holiday.

There is another facet to this focus on exercising our right to vote – the many initiatives to stimulate voter turnout on polling day.

We have Twitterbased campaigns such as #PulangMengundi (which translates into Go Home to Vote) and #CarpoolGE14.

The first hashtag is to help connect voters with others who can

The best thing voters can do is ensure that their choices are informed rather than emotional. Malaysia’s future should never be determined amid a cloud of vague sentiments.

help with the costs of travelling to distant constituencies to vote.

Through the #CarpoolGE14 hashtag, people can arrange to share rides back to their hometowns on May 9.

There are similar efforts on several social media platforms to encourage and facilitate voting. Some appear to be the work of individuals, while others are purportedly driven by political parties.

Whatever the motivation, it is powerful and stirring when citizens respond to the call to make their voices heard in an election. The silent and the passive must not be a decisive factor in a democracy.

Yes, it is true that social media amplifies developments and conversations – some believe it often overplays things – but it is beyond dispute that many people are eager and determined to vote come polling day.

It is no longer merely about exercising their right; based on what they see and know, these voters are making it a point to make a difference.

However, showing up at the polling station and marking the ballot paper is not all there is to it. The best thing voters can do is ensure that their choices are informed rather than emotional.

Malaysia’s future should never be determined amid a cloud of vague sentiments.