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Malaysians headed to the polls on Nov. 19 to decide who form its next government.
As of 4:00pm, over 70 per cent of the electorate had voted according to Malaysia's Election Commission, with some braving long lines and even flood waters to do so.
High water mark
This image that went viral on social media is of voters waiting in knee deep water while waiting to vote.
The hashtag claims they are voters in Sarawak in East Malaysia.
Already vote #Sarawak pic.twitter.com/FLpBUlTsvv
— imbree i. (@imbree_isaac) November 19, 2022
Another shows a boat ferrying voters along a flooded road, with only Pakatan Harapan flags to indicate where the old road was.
Kpg. Long Belang,
— Jacky Gee (@JackyGee10) November 19, 2022
Apoh, Ulu Baram, Sarawak..
βββ
Hope they meant what they said : A vote for GPS is a vote for SAMLING to claim their native land.
For those unfamiliar with the rural areas of Sarawak, especially Baram Area SAMLING TIMBER COMPANY is GPS and vice versa.. pic.twitter.com/E2MkiiMmIa
Long queues
Meanwhile in Peninsular Malaysia, voters joined long snaking queues to get to their polling places.
Photo by Mothership
Young Malaysians, swelling the ranks of voters for the first time since the voting age was lowered to 18, proudly took to social media to show off their fingers marked with indelible ink.
The ink is meant to indicate that a person has already voted and stop voter fraud by preventing them from voting again.
But many Malaysians have also used this as a proof of voting on their social media accounts, to show that they have done their part, and express their hope for a better Malaysia.
my very first vote for my beloved country π²πΎ #GE15 #Malaysia pic.twitter.com/klRlpOI6ah
— ηΏζ·ε β’ Sook Jin Ong (@sookjinong) November 19, 2022
Civic duty done in 5 mins only βοΈ
— Arthur Tan (@arthurtankl) November 19, 2022
Fastest and most efficient polling station!
To a BETTER, STRONGER & GREATER Malaysia π²πΎ
We've done it once, surely we can do it again πͺ
C'mmon my fellow Malaysians, we got this. Every vote counts π₯π₯#PRU15 #GE15 #BetterMalaysia pic.twitter.com/JBG59zA6xK
Malaysia dilanda jari biru...#GE15 #PRU15 #PANGKAHX pic.twitter.com/14LhSHWRZn
— Jackie (@Jackie98050288) November 19, 2022
But it wasn't just the youngest, with older Malaysians making their way to the polls as well.
This post showed a supposedly 102-year-old woman going to vote for her 15th time.
102-year-old Chung Kui Ching, from @KKCity, who made headlines as the oldest Malaysian to get vaccinated last year, cast her vote in Likas at 8.45am today. Her family said "she never misses to vote". They said she has voted 15 times.#GE15 #PRU15
— Daily Express Malaysia (@DailyExpress_MY) November 19, 2022
π· Chung's family pic.twitter.com/lUyTJRHOYC
Happiest of days
Expectations for this election have been building for nearly a year.
Most anticipated it would be called soon after Barisan Nasional, which has ruled Malaysia in some form uninterrupted from independence until 2018, retook power in August 2021.
While the government was not required to do so until September 2023, parliament was dissolved in October 2022, leading to some finding themselves needing to take time out of pre-planned events to perform their civic duty, such as this bride and groom.
Duty to the country, and duty to the spouse! π²πΎπ #GE15 #PRU15 #GeneralElection2022 #MalaysiaMemilih #pilihanraya #Election2022 #SPRM #undi #vote pic.twitter.com/vdnHk0QyQ0
— ππππ ππΆππΆπ (@AnneDanam) November 19, 2022
Perhaps most remarkable is that they appear to not be the only ones doing so.
To the bride in SMK USJ 12 - thank you for voting despite it being your big day! Wishing you and your husband a happy married life together!! β€ pic.twitter.com/vzIgB8s4r3
— Michelle Ng Mei Sze | ι»ηΎθ― (@michellengms) November 19, 2022
While others took a break from day to day work.
Received this from a friend in Penang. Uncle has humour. π #GE15 pic.twitter.com/82ohvGSfW4
— Kean (@dkscheah) November 19, 2022
Polls closed at 6pm.
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Top image via @imbree_isaac/Twitter & @AnneDanam/Twitter
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