KKCCCI welcomes polling day holiday announcement

KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) yesterday welcomed the state government’s announcement that May 9, which is the polling day for the 14th general election (GE14), be a public holiday for Sabah.

Its president Datuk Michael Lui said declaring the polling day as a public holiday would allow the people to perform their civic duty to vote.

He was also glad to see that AirAsia was offering special fixed rates for air tickets on May 8 and May 9, that was RM 199 from Kuala Lumpur to Sabah and RM 99 from Sabah to Kuala Lumpur, as well as deploying more flights to allow Malaysians to fulfil their duty as voters.

Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASwings, Malindo Air and Cathay Pacific have also offered to waive flight change fees for GE14.

“These airlines are performing their corporate social responsibility by enabling more Malaysians to go home and vote.”

Lui said many voters were set to return home to vote in this election and numerous private corporations had shown their willingness to enable employees to fulfil their civic duty, including allowing workers to take leave, offering free return tickets and providing subsidies.

He also lauded some individuals and bodies that have initiated fundraising to provide free bus rides for voters to return home, as well as churches which offered free air tickets, ex-classmates who pooled together resources to rent bus services to bring voters home, flight ticket sponsorships for East Malaysian students, 30 per cent rebate off long-distance bus ride and many more.

Lui opined that the initiatives launched by the community have proven strong will to enable voters to perform their civic duty.

“This is a laudable effort. It does not matter which political parties they support. The more important thing is the enhanced awareness of civic duty and patriotism.”