EX-SOLDIER VOTED ONLY ONCE IN 23 YEARS

By : MATTHEW VINCENT LAIK

HE is a registered voter but he only voted once between August 1981 and August 2004. Matthew Vincent Laik, 55, said he served in the Royal Malaysian Army for 23 years in Sarawak (Kem Penrissen) and Kedah. According to him, the only one time he got to cast his vote was in Sungei Petani, Kedah in the early 1990s.

He, however, could not recall the exact year of election for which he actually exercised his voting right.

“I ask that our army commanders stop the abuse of power. Throughout the 23 years I served until August 2004, I cast my vote once and once only.

“And now I am telling you all the truth, that when elections came, only one officer asked to put down the cross on the ballot papers,” he told journalists when met at the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association’s (Sadia) premises in Kota Sentosa near here yesterday.

Matthew, who retired as Warrant II Officer, added that there were no less than 1,800 voters from the army camp he served.

“Just imagine the 1,800 votes are army, what about navy and air forces. Any sort of abuse of power should be brought to an end.”

Matthew is from Kampung Semabang, Serian. He will be voting in Serian, a BN-SUPP stronghold, come the 13th general election.

Eleven parliamentary and state elections were held from August 1981 to August 2004, of which six were parliamentary and five state polls.

The six parliamentary elections were called (four-yearly) in 1982 to 2004 (in March) while the five state elections happened in 1983 to 2001. (theborneopost)