‘UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT IT’S NEW NORM’
Septuagenarians walk hand in hand to voting centre to fulfil responsibility
AN elderly couple, walking hand in hand, caught the attention of media personnel observing the voting process at SK Sugud here. Jokumil Hoinsung, 78, and his wife, Lidwina Loidin Ziumin, 75, had come to the voting centre at 8am yesterday. They are from Kg Penapah Kondis.
The couple initially appeared confused as they seemed unsure of what to do, but Election Commission (EC) staff assisted and guided them to their polling channel.
Thirty minutes later, the couple came out of the voting centre and met another man — Ziumin’s 56year-old cousin Edward Giniol.
Their 57-year-old son, Thomas Binisol Jokumil, had earlier dropped them at the school, but had to rush to another polling centre to cast his ballot.
When approached by the media, Hoinsung spoke loudly, saying he had trouble hearing.
The Public Works Department retiree said this was his first time coming out to vote while wearing a face mask.
“It’s uncomfortable, but this is part of the new norm. What to do? We just follow (the standard operating procedures),” he said while laughing.
Hoinsung hoped the new state government would pay more attention to the people’s plight, especially in tough times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ziumin hoped the winning elected candidates would go to the ground often and solve the district’s flood problem.
Earlier, Thomas, whose polling centre was at SJK(C) Yue Min, said voters boarded a chartered bus provided to transport them to their respective voting centres.
“I want a caring elected representative and state government.
“The new state government must unconditionally respond to the plight of people,” he said.
His 51-year-old brother, Jiffrey Hoinsung, who voted at SK Sugud, hoped the people’s votes would not go to waste.
“People are fed up with voting for elected representatives who would later jump party. How can they trust the system if this occurs many times?
“My hope is for the new government to look into how antihopping laws can be implemented,” he said, adding the people’s mandate must be respected.