Voting Day

Today is voting day in the General Election. 

Last night was marked by terrible traffic jams as hordes of people all left for their hometowns to vote. The rule here is that you have to go to your own village or town to vote.

Since most people work and, often, live away in another area then they need to go back for the election.

As soon as work is over they get in their cars and head off. 

The Road From Singapore

Curiously, ‘Plus Highways’ announced that road works on the North-South Expressway would ‘not hinder’ the journeys of people wishing to travel in order to vote’. Really? So why were there extensive traffic jams all the way up the northbound carriageway?

The Toll At Gombak

Equally curiously, the flight from Jakarta to Penang was mysteriously cancelled at the last moment. Would-be passengers were informed that they could use their ticket for a later flight or they could obtain a complete refund.

Oddly enough, the scanner on the Singapore side of the causeway suddenly becomes unserviceable. Thus precluding people from travelling North into Malaysia.

Amazingly, the road to Kuala Lumpur International Airport was shut for, I am told, ‘Emergency Repair Works’. This prevents people from flying to Penang and the North and East of Malaysia.

Why should voters be prevented from reaching these places?

Because, by absolute sheer coincidence, these places are held by opposition parties – parties that are not Barisan Nasional (BN) or United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Who could possibly want to prevent voters from reaching these destinations?

A mystery.

I have a keen sense of self-preservation.

That sense is tingling now.

It is a sense that tells me that there will be trouble.

People have forgotten the evil deeds of those in authority. They have discarded the idea of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) being a Chinese noose around Malaysia’s neck, they have pushed 1MDB into the background to the extent that we may find out, tomorrow, that the previous government has been re-elected.

Or…

There may be a new government. Fresh minds. 

In which case the shades of May 13^th, 1969, could be revisited upon us. Do not be swayed by the propaganda of the Chinese Parade in Kepong that had no influence upon the riots in Kampung Baru; they had nothing to do with it.

Those who have the power and the money will not sit back and allow this to happen. They will retaliate.

We have enough supplies in the house to last a month. We have squirreled away enough cash to survive for the time being.

Now we lock the doors and await the result.