15th General Election

This time round, there's some updates on the voting protocol (no phones in the voting booth, cos there has been stories of vote buying which involved people having to prove that they voted a certain way by snapping illegal pics while voting? I mean seriously, who's got time for that nonsense?), and there's a "recommended" time to go (like when the LLM releases travel advisories every festive season) when you check your voting details online. 

Apparently, the SPR site has been down since last night, so I guess a lot of people first had to stop at the counter to get their nombor bilangan and saliran before queueing. I had checked again a couple days before, AND printed that shit out because why not. 

The only good thing about people moving away (and presumably voting closer to where they actually live now or even vote by mail) is that the line was only a touch more bearable for the rest of us. The rain that happened a few hours before also helped with the weather. Also only had to park a couple roads down from the school, which is still a lot more walkable than parking at the office. 

I only got out of bed around 9 something, and after shower and light breakfast (so I don't get hangry on top of hot and grumpy), left the house closer to 10 a.m., which is about the time they "recommended" to vote. I'm not nuts enough to drag myself out of bed so early, especially on Saturdays.

There was a line outside the school as the policeman at the gate was getting a little shouty at the crowd because they were trying to bum rush the place, there's still a pandemic going on, and dude was trying to crowd control. 

It wasn't a walk in and out situation like my other peers and cohorts (I'm supposing) voting elsewhere, but I was still in line for about 20 minutes (if I really kept track of the time spent in line, I would snap)? I was waiting in line outside the school for awhile, and in line at my saluran for quite a bit before it was my turn. Killed some of that time listening to the latest episode of The Macha Men (which never fails to make me laugh in inappropriate places). 

All in all, I was there probably 59 minutes, cos I was waiting for the 'rents to finish voting and drive them back to their car parked at the office. While it's still better than the last couple times I was in line for 2, 3 hours (almost half a day), but it was still too damn long lah, you know? 

Spent the rest of the afternoon at the second home redeeming voting perks, offers, etc, pretty much until dinner time. If the F&B outlets want to incentivize people to go vote, consider me incentivized la. 

14th General Election

I can't believe that it's been 5 years. And my third time exercising my bare minimum as a citizen by casting my one vote. 

This election cycle didn't start well when it was first announced that voting would be on a weekday after a mere 9 days of campaigning... or something to that effect. Of course people threw a fit and TPTB responded by declaring it a public holiday, because. Which kind of means that people would have to make travel plans pretty quickly. Air tickets ballooned overnight, airlines are waiving rebooking fees, all that jazz. 

Woke up at my usual time (also begrudgingly as usual), and left with the sibling after breakfast because I figured we would take a while. A lot has happened in the last five years and everyone else in line has their phones to keep themselves occupied. Me, I forgot my phone, fan and an umbrella but not my iPod, go figure. But I remembered to bring (besides IC) was water and the printout of my voter information.

At first we were lined up outside on the covered sidewalk outside the school. By the time we got inside the school compound, it was getting hot as balls, so the EC people moved two lines into the canteen so that there won't be any fainting incidents. (Or worse, deaths - I've read that a couple of people have already died waiting in line). Meanwhile the old folks were still lined up outside in the hot sun, some of them thought to bring umbrellas. The 'rents only went later in the afternoon. 

via GIPHY

Actually, it was closer to three hours later, but you get the idea. We had to let someone in the line because they were rushing to catch an afternoon flight back to Singapore. Since we were close to the end, why not, I guess. They were only using FOUR CLASSROOMS for voters coming from several different residential areas. WTF BBQ. NO WONDER THE LINE WAS SO LONG AND SLOW! 

Anyhow, spent the rest of the day going around claiming the voter freebies. Didn't get the nasi lemak and teh tarik at Ben's General Food Store in GLO (nearest one I could think of which didn't involve going to a busier mall), but they did give out RM10 vouchers each that we promptly used on the chicken meals there (sides were nice than the protein), free blue Gula Melaka ice cream from Hail's, and Boost Juice crushes, before calling it a day around 3 something because it was just too damn hot.

A post shared by synical (@synicalrules) on May 9, 2018 at 2:05am PDT

Now wondering whether to go to Inside Scoop for their voter offer later...

13th General Election

My entire immediate family's polling station was at my old primary school, which is not too far off. The sibling had cycled there a little earlier before the rest of us. Wasn't terribly semangat to wake up to get there before 8 a.m., but was there with the 'rents before 10 a.m. (Being a light sleeper DOES suck in times like these - was awakened by birds chirping so loud I thought maybe they were in the room, in some hidden nest). Left after a light breakfast. 

Wasn't dumb enough to park right outside the school, but parked along one of the nearby parks and walked. Got the serial number from the checking station outside before stepping unto the grounds. Suspected that the different voting channels were sorted by age: Saluran 1 was for the 60 and above (the old bean), Saluran 2 (Mum) and 3 was for the middle-aged (35 to 60?) set, and Saluran 4 (mine) was for the under-35 (?). Helpful copper there pointed me to the exact block I'm supposed to be at. 

Then I saw the line. WHAT THE FUCK - Right down the block, around the toilets and up the next block. Quickly got in line. One of my former primary school classmates and their siblings got in line behind me. The sibling was in line way ahead of me had been there since 9 a.m. I had a ways to go. Also saw some other classmates too, but I wasn't in the mood to talk. The cop standing guard was also nice enough to get chairs from the empty classroom next door for people to sit. It was surprisingly quiet even with the small children present. 

The coconut water stall outside the school was making a killing. Stupid me didn't think to bring anything more than myself and IC, thinking that it would not take so long. I honestly have no idea what took so long, but I suspect it's because it's the first clerk (that checks the register and calls out the name and IC number for the rest to cross out on their copy).

Well okay, it was probably almost three hours (but definitely more than two) later, I got it done. Even told the clerk the serial number (from earlier) just to get it moving. I was the last one to get done and the 'rents waited because I had the car keys. Haha.

Suffered from a heat and dehydration headache afters, which I slept off with Panadol. I only had time and energy to drive to my waxing appointment (brought forward an hour cos they wanted to close early) with less than half an hour's notice in the pouring rain. Made it there quickly, and managed to tarpau from nearby Nadeje with little fuss. (Not a lot of cars on the road). 

What was everyone else's story? I want to know.

The day after.

So Barisan Nasional didn't get their 2/3 majority. They also lost control of 5 states in this election; Selangor being one of them.

I get that people are revelling in the political buzz and could not stop talking (and speculating) about it. Fine. But political talk bores me and I can't fake any more interest than I barely could. Politics of any kind brings on the ennui. My only source of any political news (like most young people) are late night talk shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher, etc.

Even after I tell people that I'm "politically apathetic", they still keep going on about it and I had to fake some more interest in it. Look, I don't discuss anything no one else has interest in, so why am I stuck listening to all this? I'd listen, but don't expect my feedback on it.

There's nothing wrong with me being politically apathetic.

So voting's closed. Now we wait.

So I did my bit for the country - I casted my vote, buang-ed my undi and tou piao-ed in the Malaysian 12th general election this morning at my old primary school. As my bro already did his earlier, so I went with the 'rents. It didn't take too long cos it was still 10 something in the morning.

After doing my bit for the nation, I went to KL Sentral for a while and ultimately, KLCC.

Bought myself a blue Product (RED) tee shirt from the Gap, which was 40% off.

I also DID find a copy of mental_floss at a newsstand. Specifically, the Indian newsstand inside Cold Storage. That answers MY question... and then more questions come to mind.

I also got myself a pair of new Speedo swim goggles because I've been meaning to get a new pair and they were 10% off. Next: look at swinsuits when I feel like it.

Indelible ink out? Oh well.

So the EC (Election Commission) decided to scrap the idea of using indelible ink in the coming elections. According to the local rag, it's because they found out that there's a scam going on in the rural areas where residents are convinced that they had to have the ink applied unto their nail BEFORE going in to vote, as opposed to WHEN you go to vote. I have NO idea how these jokers allegedly managed to score themselves their supply, but I salute them. 

Cos it's supposed to be some expensive shit of a security measure. 

Like that might as well use henna - also doesn't come off after about a week, what. Cheap some more. Just that the security not there only mah, haha. 

Not that it matters to me personally. What ticked me more was the see-through ballot boxes - THAT I don't see the point of.

How to Win My (One) Vote

It's a few more days before Malaysia decides on whether to keep the current gahmen or vote for change. As one's vote is supposed to be secret, I won't say out loud how I'm voting. To the tech-savvy politicians out there, here's how the parties involved could win my vote, asides from the usual toll/petrol/elevating cost of living issues:

Do away with the Censorship Board. Or at least have non-ancient or staunchly religious people on there. Actually, doing away with it entirely would be waayy better. That way I wouldn't be totally turned off by the sight of butchered movies, TV shows and also music videos (seriously!) on Malaysian TV and resort to other methods.

That's it.

For now, anyway - until I could think of something else.