Dear Kertas Undi (ballot paper),
Good day. It’s been almost five years since we last spoke, although, the last time we spoke, it was not with you but with your distant relative.
You are like a special-edition toy from a fast-food chain – important only for a while, before being forgotten and pushed aside. Much like certain individuals who suddenly appear out of nowhere during an election, making claims, promises or manifestos that supposedly aim to make my life better.
But many promises are never fulfilled. After I have put an X on you, many of these individuals are never to be seen again until almost five years later.
While I am not sure where you disappear to after the election, I don’t blame you. What I have marked is supposed to be a secret, after all.
Who I want to see is the elected representative who appears in the House of Representatives or state assembly, to put forth issues that are affecting the lives of so many people, including me.
Hence, being the special edition that you are, I need to ensure that whoever I choose is capable of being my representative.
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I need to vote for someone who doesn’t just promise to look into issues, but resolves them – someone who protects my safety, welfare and wellbeing, regardless of ethnicity, religion, class or status.
I need to vote for someone whose time is not spent only on giving speeches, officiating events or plotting over who gets more seats.
I need to vote for a capable individual who can speak for me and stand firm on issues that matter – someone who remains accountable even after the election ends.
I need to vote for an individual who can look beyond self-enriching exercises of being granted titles, projects and positions.
I need to vote for a capable individual who can represent me with courage, integrity and sincerity – someone who won’t disappear or defect once the votes are counted.
As such, I need to vote not only with my heart, but wisely too, armed with the power of knowledge, wisdom and clarity.
I must not be moved by those who appear only after more than four years in the wilderness.
When I mark my X, it must be for someone who understands this: my vote is not merely support or just a mark. It is trust placed in another person’s hands.
And trust, dear Kertas Undi, should never be wasted. My vote is not just a mark.
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
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