I AM currently studying in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Labuan International Campus. My hometown is in Selangor.

This is my first election since I turned 21 in 2005. Finally, I can be part of the nation to vote for my future leaders in the government. I am excited and look forward to taking part in the general election on March 8 as it is only once in five years.

However, for the upcoming election, outstations students like me can only look from afar and are unable to participate,especially those studying in East Malaysia but are registered to vote in Peninsular Malaysia.

We were told that we must go back to our hometown based on our address in our identification cards to vote. This is a huge disappointment for me as this is my first general election.

We students can only follow election news from television and newspaper. Having the right to vote doesn’t seem to make a difference for us here when we can’t cast our votes.

The Government is encouraging the rakyat to participate in the general election but outstation students like me can’t exercise our right to vote unless we fly back to our own hometown on our own expense although Malaysian students studying overseas are able to post their votes.

Why not have a similar arrangement for students studying in East Malaysia and vice-versa?

Or can we set up a booth for outstation students to vote if subsidising their flight tickets back to their hometown is costly.

LYDIA KOH LI-PO,

Labuan.

Source: The Star – February 29, 2008