Melaka polls: Student spends RM700 on air tickets to cast first vote

KOTA MELAKA: A 20-year-old university student spent RM700 on return flight tickets from Sarawak to Melaka so she could fulfil her responsibility as a first-time voter in the 16th Melaka election today.

Ashira Dania Mohd Hairun, a first-year Social Sciences student at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), returned to her hometown in Taman Seri Duyong 2 here to cast her ballot.

She said she was excited to vote for the first time, as it was her first opportunity to choose her elected representative.

"I spent about RM700 on return flight tickets.

"I woke up about 6.30am after my parents woke me up to go and vote.

"My older sister, relatives and a cousin who is also voting for the first time accompanied me today," she said after casting her ballot for the Duyong seat at SK Seri Duyong here.

On her hopes for the elected representative, Ashira said she wanted to see further development in the constituency, as well as more opportunities for young people to participate in community programmes.

"I want Duyong to become more developed and for more young people to take part in any programmes organised by the state constituency. This would allow more of them to get involved in activities here," she said.

She also hoped more youth activities would be organised, particularly in sports such as football, rugby, fishing and netball.

"To Gen Z, go out and vote now. Do not wait until noon. Do not sleep until the afternoon and wait for your parents to scold you before going out to vote. Go out and vote now," she said.

The Duyong seat is seeing a straight fight between Barisan Nasional incumbent Datuk Mohd Noor Helmy Abd Halem and Pakatan Harapan's Poo Long Suan.