Kelantanese OKU Student Willing To Walk Home From Penang To Vote As Bus Tickets Sell Out
Haikal would have walked approximately 324km if his lecturer hadn't bumped into him.
The 15th General Election (GE15) is less than 24 hours away, and many Malaysians have or are already making their way back to their hometowns to practise their democratic right.
One Malaysian in particular was so determined to perform his civil duty that he was willing to walk approximately 324km from Penang to Kelantan on foot as bus tickets were all sold out.
According to New Straits Times, 18-year-old Muhammad Haikal Noor Azmin is a 2D animation certificate student, currently pursuing his education at the Kepala Batas community college, Penang.
Unfortunately for the student, there were no more bus tickets to Kelantan left. With no other option, Haikal decided that he would make the journey home by foot.
With his belongings in tow, Haikal began his journey on Wednesday, 16 November, when one of his lecturers spotted him at Jalan Bertam Indah 2, at 6pm
According to Kepala Batas Community College director Jasni Mohd Yusof, when the lecturer found Haikal, he looked tired but resolved to continue walking back to his hometown.
"Despite that, he was eager to fulfil his responsibility as a registered voter. He was willing to walk home. We decided to send him back to his hometown to ensure he could make it back in time to vote on Saturday and for his safety," the director told reporters.
Making good on his word, the college arranged for a campus vehicle to drive the first-time voter back to Kelantan so he would make it home safely.
Haikal said that he was grateful for being lent a helping hand by the college's management
The animation student said that he was touched by the gesture and said that this would lighten his family's burden as they needed him back home.
According to Kosmo, the 18-year-old is the oldest child out of his five siblings. Unfortunately, his father passed away when Haikal was just 11 years old, and he now bears the responsibility as the eldest son in his family.
Some of us are fortunate to have the opportunity to travel back home to vote. Let's exercise our voting rights and cast our ballots this GE15.
If you are in need of transport to travel back to your hometown this GE15, there is a free bus service in Puchong that can help:
Kind Malaysians are offering to carpool with other voters as they journey to their polling stations: