2030 LT, 8th May 2018
Tanggal tiga puluh satu, Bulan lapan lima pulun tujuh…
The tunes blast from Curry’s (shorthand for Curry Laksa Oil, my trusty Myvi- owing to her colour) loudspeakers. No, it’s not Merdeka.
I simply need to bask in my go-to patriotic beats…
Because tomorrow is election day.
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Photo credit: www.symmetrymagazine.com
2130 LT, 8th May 2018
Padang Timur is crowded with people. People-mountain-people-sea, I think, regarding the overused Chinese idiom. A few Malaysian and party flags stand erected at random positions.
The 3 emcees on stage (one for each language) are leading the crowd in an ardent chant. Hidup rakyat! Hidup rakyat!
We listen to politicians tell their piece, the politician charm the nation via Facebook Live, then more chanting. Adrenalines are gushing. Resolves are apparent. The rakyat are determined.
Bigots and the corrupt, keep your filthy hands off our beloved country, we say.
We love Malaysia.
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7th May 2018
My friend Janice (sooooooo proud of you, girl!) in the United States is one heck of a rock star.
“In less than 12 hours, i collected 18 postal votes for at least 10 constituencies for a runner to take from NYC. and now, together with runners from San Francisco and Seattle, everyone involved is less than 1 hour away from getting 36 postal votes from USA to KLIA. votes that wouldn’t have had a chance otherwise, because so many arrived on monday USA time.” ~Source: Facebook of Janice Shiu, or Jayyy-nese as I call her
Of course, postal votes should ideally be, well, posted back to Malaysia. But the deadline for postal vote submission is Wednesday, Malaysian time. These voters received their ballots on Monday U.S. time (a genuine mistake, I’m sure. Cough), rendering the dateline impossible to meet via post.
So against all odds, they fly it back, by hand.
When I read her story, a sob escaped my lips, and I choke on my tears.
Her story is just one of many.
Runners from all around the world race against time, strangers with one common trait- a blue Malaysian IC. Volunteers drive 4 and half hours just to deliver these votes to their rightful stations.
The atmosphere is pregnant with patriotism.
I’m crying again. My heart is so full.
*Yes, election was held on a Wednesday, in the middle of the work week. I assure you this is a trivial issue with no conspiracy. Hiccup.
Picture credit: www.theflagshop.co.uk
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0630-0830 LT, 9th May 2018
My alarm pierce through the darkened bedroom. I glance at the glowing numbers- 630am. The husband stirs beside me.
I roll out of bed. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I shaft a toothbrush into my mouth and pull on a pair of leggings.
It’s election day.
It’s save-my-country day.
I’m in the queue by 720am although polling begins at 8am. Can’t wait!
The SPR worker calls out my name and IC number. I dip my finger into a bottle of slimy dark blue liquid of inedible ink. Then a volunteer hands me my ballot papers.
The process is quick. With the provided ballpoint pen, I put a large cross next to my preferred candidate’s name. The ballot papers are then dropped into the transparent boxes sitting in the middle of the room.
Now, we wait. And eat breakfast.
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1430 LT, 9th May 2018
Thank you, The Dugout for the free beer! (Show your inked finger and receive a free beer)
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2030 LT, 9th May 2018
I’m biting my nails. My nerves are an absolute wreck. Butterflies have don Puah Chu Kang’s boots and are stomping all over my insides.
I’m on my third glass of wine.
The election results are revealed seat by seat, titbit by titbit. I desperately refresh the live-info page. The margin between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional is slimmer than a satay stick.
And the numbers on the tally dashboard are creeping like a snail on an evening stroll.
I need my fourth glass of wine.
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2300 LT, 9th May 2018
I can smell a fishy rat.
Thanks to social media, WhatsApp and other marvels of the modern world, we receive a constant flow of information.
Santa Clauses in tinted cars come bearing gifts. And the signature column of certain borang 14s remain glaringly empty.
But the rakyat will have no such bollocks. Not on our watch.
3 things omit race and unite all Malaysians:
1) the blasphemy of crispy rendang
2) Seoul-ed out businessmen (too bad if you didn’t get that one. I’m not going to explain)
3) murky politics
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Picture credit:www.bustle.com
0030 LT, 10th May 2018
What? What do you mean no results yet? Unofficial results have been trending throughout the internet. But SPR insist the Malaysian public be patient.
I have to stop drinking now to meet the 10 hours bottle-to-throttle rule. How does one endure this process without alcoholic aid?
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0100 LT, 10th May 2018
Seriously guys? I’ve seen toddlers count faster.
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0800 LT, 10th May 2018
My body clock jolts me into consciousness.
Election results! I need election results!
Quickly, I grab my phone and hurry into the toilet where I plopped onto the bowl. (May as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone)
I hold my breath and widen my eyes at the screen.
Then, I adjust my butt cheek a little to the right.
Salt water is gathering along my eyelids.
With a quick blink, I try to clear the tears. The attempt is futile, because a fresh batch gushes through my tear ducts.
I smile.
They won.
Pakatan Harapan won.
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There’s always light at the end of a tunnel.
When asked about my political allegiance, my answer is simple:
I reject bigots, cronyism, and corruption.
I support clean elections and national growth.
I vote for leaders that are accountable for their actions, who accept and acknowledge that they reap what they sow, and who have the rakyat‘s best interest at heart.
However, no human is perfect. No government is perfect. Men will fail you.
Yet, we must advance as a nation- with dignity, integrity and transparency.
Building our lives. Building our country.
Healing.
As one family.
As Malaysians**.
** Rather than live the British’s colonial legacy through race segregation.
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I freaking love Malaysia.