Woman regards a responsibility to bring autistic son to vote

JOHOR BAHRU: It is not easy for Tan Chiew Lian, 59, to handle her 32-year-old autistic son, but she managed to persuade him to go to the polling centre to exercise his right as a voter .

"Voting is a responsibility of every citizen and an important part of democracy and I also want my son to also fulfil his responsibility in choosing an elected representative for the Stulang state constituency ," she said.

Tan, a teacher, said she and her son voted at the polling centre at Sekolah Menengah Foon Yew, Stulang Laut, here, which is also where she has been teaching for the past 26 years.

She said it was her son's first voting experience and it went well.

"I have explained to him about the voting process and that the symbols on the ballot papers represented the persons contesting to become the elected representative and was excited to come with me to the polling centre today.

"But, he cast his own vote without me accompanying him," said the woman , who has two other children.

Another voter, Abdul Latip Jaappan, 69, who is a government retiree and has to use a walking stick due to a slip disc, said he was pushed on a wheelchair by personnel from the Election Commission (EC) to cast his vote.

He and his wife, Fauziah Ismail, 61, cast their votes at the school.

At the polling centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Rinting 1, Pasir Gudang, in the Permas state constituency, Ahmad Taha @ Idris Omar, 78, who arrived on a wheelchair, said although his leg hurt, he would not shed his responsibilty as a voter.

-- BERNAMA