Monday, May 6, 2013

GE13: Long queues in the morning make it hard for senior citizens

The Star, Monday May 6, 2013

Reports by B.K. SIDHU, ELAN PERUMAL, STUART MICHAEL, JADE CHAN, OH ING YEEN and A. RUBAN

Needing help: A tearful Yap Fong sitting on the stairs as she could not stand in line due to weak knees. Needing help: A tearful Yap Fong sitting on the stairs as she could not stand in line due to weak knees.
 
Despite the preparations, GE13 had its fair share of problems, such as lack of assistance for the old and infirm.

In Kajang, the lack of coordination at SRJK (C) Sungai Chua polling centre left many voters frustrated.

They were given differing instructions by various Election Commission (EC) officers.

Chee Sui Yee, 36, complained that it was disorderly, a far cry from the orderly situation during GE12 in 2008.

Making amends: A special lane for senior citizens was only set up around 10am. Making amends: A special lane for senior citizens was only set up around 10am.
 
“It was messy and instructions were confusing. There was no one at the entrance to guide voters to their respective streams.”

Fatimah Jamilah, 35, was not assisted although she had difficulty walking as she had just given birth a week ago.

She went to vote with her husband Razi Hashim, 35, and their seven-day-old baby.

“I asked for a wheelchair at the entrance but it fell on deaf ears,” she said.

Yap Fong, 72, was seen sitting on the stairs and in tears as she could not stand in line due to weak knees.

“There should be a special lane for the elderly,” she said.

A little later, an EC officer brought a wheelchair for her and a special lane for senior citizens was only set up around 10am.

Kajang Barisan Nasional candidate Lee Ban Seng also delivered 10 wheelchairs to various polling centres in the constituency after receiving complaints that there were not enough.

Lee and independent candidate Ong Yan Foo cast their votes at SRJK (C) Sungai Chua.

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