One for the road as Sgt Nazuin votes in uniform before retirement

SIBU: It was a bittersweet feeling for Sergeant Nazuin Naim when he cast his ballot as an early voter in the 12th Sarawak State Election today as it was the last time he voted in his military uniform, before taking up optional retirement soon.

Nazuin, 40, was one of 1,361 early voters at the Rascom Camp, 9th Brigade headquarters here today, comprising military personnel and their spouses.

"This is like creating history as well... because this election took place in the new normal, the voting followed the standard operating procedures set and everything went smoothly," he said.

He was voting for the Nangka state seat which witnessed a three-cornered fight between Dr Annuar Rapa'ee representing the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Olivia Lim Wen Sia of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Intanurazean Wan Sapuan Daud of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).

Meanwhile, a frontliner couple, a military officer and his wife, a nurse, also cast their ballots at the camp today.

Warrant officer II Abdul Rahman Mahdy, 37, and Zaemah Yusuf, 36, a nurse at the Sibu Hospital, dressed in their respective uniforms, arrived as early as 8 am to cast their ballots.

According to the couple, who have been married for 11 years, this is the second time they cast their votes at the camp and are proud to be able to fulfill their responsibility.

Dr Annuar was also present at the polling centre to review the early voting process and there were voters who took the opportunity to pose with him.

A total of 35 Election Commission (EC) officers are on duty at three polling streams at the centre.

A total of 2,080 early voters were the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) personnel as well as their spouses at the Rascom Camp hall and Oya Camp hall here, in the Nangka state constituency.

Early voting for the Sarawak polls today involves 23,043 voters in 69 constituencies. They consist of 12,585 military personnel and their spouses, and 10,458 police personnel and members of the General Operations Force (PGA) as well as their spouses.

-- BERNAMA