My vote counts

Today, I will return to my hometown.

My fourth sister will drive out to Singapore to pick my uncle, auntie and me up, so that we could cast our votes tomorrow, first thing in the morning before we head out to Singapore to rush back for my brother's wedding.

That's right. My brother's wedding.

Of all days, he picked my father's birthday as his ROM date, and wedding day. The Voting Day was announced about a month before his wedding day, so there was little he could do to change it.

Malaysian friends whom he and his wife had invited had decided that the national issue is a bigger concern, so they are not turning up for his wedding.

As for my family, just about me would be the only one returning to vote. Quite a pity. We would have 5 votes in our family alone that remain in Singapore. I have not even counted my sister-in-law's family who consists of 2 parents, 3 sisters and a brother-in-law.

Even my father who sees my brother's wedding as the most important event in his life is contemplating returning to vote, but I would understand if he doesn't. He has to prepare to receive the bride. I am quite disappointed that my sisters are apathetic towards the political situation in Malaysia though. They feel that they have no stake in the country so it does not make a difference to them who the ruling party is.

We always talk about love and loyalty for our country. We don't always love it to the extent of dying for it, just like we may love someone but may not be willing to lose our lives for them, but if voting isn't a time to prove your love for your country, to exercise the option to right the wrong in the political arena, then when is?

A Chinapress pic of the recent rally at Penang.

The crowd was estimated to be more than 100, 000.

Penang is governed by an opposition party and it has been known to be peaceful and safe as opposed to KL's notorious traffic jam and JB's outrageous robberies.

Someone posted this during the Singapore election period and for some reason, it sticks:

When they came for the communists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a communist.

When they came for the social democrats,

I did not speak out;

I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,

I did not speak out;

I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for me,

there was no one left to speak out for me.

I don't live in Malaysia. I don't study there. I don't work there. I don't travel there. I don't even speak her language. But my vote counts.