70% of first-time voters ready to return home to vote in Johor state election

70 percent of first-time voters aged between 18 and 22 have expressed their willingness to return to their hometowns to fulfil their responsibility in the upcoming Johor State Election.

A survey conducted by Sin Chew Daily through its community segment ‘Da Johor’ found that young voters are enthusiastic about taking part in shaping Johor’s future.

Many of them are willing to travel back home to cast their votes despite studying or working outside Johor, including in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other states.

As this will be their first opportunity to vote, they said they do not want to miss the “valuable right to vote”.

Several respondents interviewed by Sin Chew Daily said their votes could influence the direction of Johor over the next five years.

They added that travel costs, applying for leave from work and the difficulties of returning home would not stop them from voting.

Among the views shared by young voters:

Michelle, 22, a student, said she would return from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru as she considered her first vote valuable and capable of shaping Johor’s future.

“I’m willing to return from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru because I see my first vote as something valuable and it can determine Johor’s future,” she said.

Yu Jia Hao, 20, a student, said she wanted to vote due to concerns over rising prices while salaries remained unchanged, hoping the new government would address people’s livelihood issues.

Sun, 22, a working adult, said “I will definitely return because if young people do not vote, the elderly will decide our future”.

Haling, 20, a student, said she viewed Pakatan Harapan (PH) as more transparent compared with Barisan Nasional (BN), although she acknowledged that all parties had their weaknesses.

Huang Jun, 20, a student, said he would travel from Kuala Lumpur to Muar a day before polling day as he wanted to vote for candidates who could deliver results.

“I will return to Muar from Kuala Lumpur a day before polling day because I want to vote for people who can get things done,” he said

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