HULU SELANGOR - Retired consultant John Morris made a point to exercise his right to vote at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kuala Kubu Bharu, stressing his commitment as a dedicated Malaysian citizen.
"You shouldn't sit out on voting.
"You have got to cast your vote for someone.
"I believe in moving forward because simply not voting won't get us anywhere.
"What change can we expect if we abstain from voting?" he asked when met on Saturday.
John also encouraged Indian voters to reconsider their stance on the political landscape in Malaysia and urged them to vote for the opposition if they felt inclined, stressing the importance of exercising their right to vote.
"Ultimately, you need to cast your vote. Saying 'don't vote' isn't the solution," he added.
In the semi-urban constituency in Selangor, Malays make up some 49.6 per cent of the roll, Chinese make up 30.6 per cent, Indians 18 per cent and other races make up 2.1 per cent of roughly 40,000 voters.
Conventionally, Pakatan Harapan (PH) attracts the ethnic Chinese, Indians and progressive urban Malays while Perikatan Nasional (PN) has a stronger Malay following.
Recent media reports have indicated that Indian support for PH has been waning, due to the perception that they have been taken for granted by the ruling government, and that their needs are not being met.
The four-cornered fight sees PH candidate Pang Sock Tao against PN’s Khairul Azhari Saut, independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Hafizah Zainudin.