Voting In Penang

Wuan and I just got back from Ipoh. It took us three hours for a one way journey. PLUS’ upgrading from Rawang to Slim River slashed the 110km/h speed limit to 60km/h the entire stretch as traffic in some parts of the expressway were limited to one lane only. By this rate, I estimate that it will take 6 hours for me to reach Penang from Kuala Lumpur. If we were to leave after Wuan cast her vote here, we will reach Penang at around 3pm.

I am still mulling over whether I should fly back alone as the journey back and forth by road is going to wear me out. Flying poses another set of problems. Friends in Penang have offered to pick me up from the airport and assist with getting food. That solves half of the problem. The other half is dressing me up. Dressing up is a very personal matter and I am not comfortable getting help from other people. Wuan has been helping me with that. If I were to do that by myself, I would be spending more than 30 minutes doing it and become totally exhausted after that.

I am too tired to think straight now. We spent more than 6 hours on the road today. All I am looking forward to is a hot bath and a good night’s sleep. I foresee another long day tomorrow. I am going to leave it as it is for now. No point cracking my head over this. As I was about to conclude this entry, I am reminded of what Jesus said in the Bible:

So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6: 34 (New Jerusalem Bible)

Wise words those. Good night Malaysia.

Related entry:
The Dilemma Of Voting In Penang

The Dilemma Of Voting In Penang

I need to arrange the logistics for me to get back to Penang to vote. The problem is that Wuan will be casting her ballot here in Kuala Lumpur. I am not going to ask her to give up that right to vote just to accompany me back. I need assistance for moving around in Penang. I tire easily nowadays. Maybe it is the weather. Maybe it is my health. It will be difficult for me to go back by myself in this condition.

This election may be the first and last one that I am voting in Penang. I am considering changing my address and voting constituency to where I am residing in Kuala Lumpur now. I have never bothered with exercising my right to vote previously because of the inaccessibility of voting centres. I disliked being carried on my wheelchair up steps. Wheelchairs are not designed to be carried. There is a danger of parts breaking away.

Being an advocate on disability issues now, I realised that disabled people need to go out to exercise their voting rights and where necessary advocate for accessible voting centres and most importantly, accessible public transport to take us there. If I have my way, the ministers responsible for these insufficiencies in infrastructure will not be getting any vote from disabled people. What have they done in the past five years to make the environment accessible to disabled people? Many of us are still stuck at home because there is no concerted effort to ensure that accessible facilities are in place.