‘Every vote matters’: Orang Asli voters travel from remote Bukit Besar to vote in Melaka

Temuan Orang Asli community members from Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Besar wait their turn to vote in the 16th Melaka state election at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Machap Umboo November 14, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Saturday, 14 Nov 2026 12:49 PM MYT

ALOR GAJAH, Nov 14 — Living in a remote area has not deterred the Temuan Orang Asli community in Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Besar from turning out to vote in the 16th Melaka state election today.

The villagers said their awareness of the importance of participating in the democratic process had motivated them to travel to polling centres to elect their representatives.

Riduan Othman, 24, said he left home at 8 am to cast his vote and was pleased with the smooth voting process.

“Living in a remote area should not stop us from voting. Everyone should come out and fulfil their responsibility.

“Every vote matters in ensuring the people’s voices are heard when determining the leadership and development direction of their respective areas,” he told Bernama after voting at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Machap Umboo here today.

Meanwhile, Haiza Hardi, 22, said she came with her family early in the morning, driven by the belief that every voter should fulfil their responsibility during an election.

“I hope more people will come out to vote and fulfil their responsibility,” said the second-time voter.

For first-time voter Sukma Romi, 30, the experience was initially nerve-racking, but she felt relieved and happy after casting her ballot.

Sukma said the process was quick and easy, with assistance from Election Commission (EC) officials helping her through her first voting experience.

The Machap Jaya state seat is seeing a three-cornered contest involving Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Datuk Ginie Lim Siew Lin, incumbent Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem of Barisan Nasional and Prasanth Kumar Brakasam of Parti Bersama Malaysia.

For the latest news on the 16th Melaka state election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/. — Bernama