New MP must work with the people for the people, say voters

A family attending a wedding in Kluang decided to take time off to cast their votes in the Pulai parliamentary by-election. Lawyer Balbeer Singh Jessy, his wife Usha Devi Tara Singh, and their daughter Praveen Kaur Jessy, all dressed in traditional Punjabi attire, headed to the voting center in SK Nong Chik at 8am. Their youngest daughter Priety Kaur Jessy accompanied them and waited outside. Balbeer expressed the importance of ensuring his family came back to cast their ballots. He also hoped that more people would return to vote in the by-elections.

When Balbeer went to the school in the morning, he noticed a lack of young voters. He expressed his hope that the new MP would engage with residents, just as the late Datuk Seri Salehuddin Ayub did. Balbeer, who is the Taman Kolam Air residents’ committee chairman, highlighted the issue of cars parking along the main road, which causes traffic congestion and difficulties for residents. He praised the former MP for being proactive and engaging with residents in the area and urged the Johor Baru City Council to address the parking issue.

A first-time voter from Sibu, Sarawak, Veronica Anthony, recently changed her address to Taman Dahlia, Pulai. She expressed surprise at being able to cast her vote immediately. Veronica stated that she came to Johor Baru a few months ago in search of better job opportunities and found employment in the city. She hopes that the new Pulai MP will address the high cost of living, especially in rural areas where people often have to travel far to support their families.

R. Yuwethaa, a 21-year-old student, believes that Pulai needs better public amenities, mainly to address the traffic issue. She hopes the elected MP will focus on finding solutions to improve the daily lives of residents and be open to criticisms and suggestions, particularly from the youth.

Car saleswoman Siti Nurhezzaty Mohamad Hamdan, 25, believes that the MP should help the youth in Pulai and the country as a whole achieve a better work-life balance. She mentioned the idea of introducing shorter working days or hours for Malaysians as a way to improve well-being. This is her second time voting, with her first experience being in the Johor state elections last year.

Siti Nurhezzaty Mohamad Hamdan