The ‘PRU Free Buses Service’ is jointly provided by Sayangi Kinrara, KLSCAH-CRC and SKLHA-Youth in conjunction with GE15. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
Businesses, NGOs among those incentivising M’sians, especially 1.4 million Undi18 bloc, to cast their ballots
TO ENCOURAGE eligible Malaysians to fulfil their duty as voters in the 15th General Election this Saturday, businesses and other organisations are offering several incentives.
Following the gazettement of Undi18, which saw the amendment of the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 years, expectations are high this year.
Read on to learn how companies and non-governmental organisations are working to provide voters a smoother journey to polling day.
Bus and rail
Free bus services are being provided by NGO Sayangi Kinrara, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Civil Rights Committee (KLSCAH-CRC) and Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Association Youth (SKLHA-Youth).
Buses will depart on Nov 18 at 8pm from Dewan Masyarakat BK2, Puchong to destinations such as Penang, Kuantan, Alor Setar, Kota Baru and Kuala Terengganu.
KTM Bhd (KTMB) has arranged eight additional ETS services from Nov 18 to 20, with a special Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) train service for east-coast travellers.
Available since Nov 1, tickets for the ETS and special train services can be acquired through the rail company’s mobile app (KITS) or website.
Meanwhile, Easybook is offering a 15% discount on bus tickets with the EB15OFF promotional code, and Billion Stars Express is offering a 30% discount with the EBBS30 promotional code on its website.
Both will be transporting passengers to destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Melaka, Perak, Johor and Negri Sembilan.
Tickets are available for booking until Nov 22, for travel between Nov 16 and 22 for Easybook passengers, and for travel until Nov 30 for those who opt for Billion Stars Express.
Carpool, postal services
CarpoolGE15 is an NGO created by three individuals to help out-of-state voters get back home.
The crowd-sourced initiative offers carpooling, thus reducing traffic while saving travel costs.
Furthermore, amid concerns of flooding during the peak of the monsoon, the grassroots campaign is urging community members to lend their four-wheel drive vehicles.
The Vote Malaysia Movement, a non-partisan coalition of international Malaysian youth groups, coordinates postal voting for overseas voters by collecting and sending postal ballots to their respective counting stations.
Composed of youth movements such as Undi18, the Malaysian Student Global Alliance (MSGA) and the United Kingdom & Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC), the campaign aims to ensure Malaysians living overseas exercise their right to vote.
Flights
Corporations are also doing their part to ensure a higher rate of participation for GE15.
Airlines are offering prospective voters discounts and extra flights, in time for polling day on Nov 19.
Malaysia Airlines will be operating an additional 26 flights, as well as upgrading up to 22 return flights to wide-body A330 aircraft flying to Sabah and Sarawak in order to meet demand, the company said in an Oct 20 statement.
The national carrier is offering lower fares via its website, with a 20% discount for all flights within Malaysia, for purchase until Nov 19 for travel from Nov 11 to 27. These are subject to availability.
Joining the campaign to strengthen electoral turnout, Firefly has arranged an additional 70 flights.
Those who booked their tickets during the promotion period from Oct 20 to 24, enjoyed reduced ticket prices of 24% and 10% flying from Penang and Subang respectively to selected domestic destinations such as Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Kota Baru, Penang, Alor Setar and Kuala Terengganu.
Batik Air will be mounting 18 additional flights a day between Nov 5 and Nov 23 for domestic travel to Kuala Terengganu, Johor Baru, Kota Baru, Langkawi, Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.
Travellers can redeem RM50 e-vouchers for Batik Air’s domestic flights until the end of the year.
F&B and entertainment
Food and beverage businesses are joining the efforts to incentivise higher voter turnout.
Those heading to Resorts World Genting can enjoy discounts by showing their fingers that have been marked by indelible ink.
Participating outlets, including Genting Palace and Genting Garden Hot Pot, are offering a 20% discount with minimum expenditure of RM150 in a single receipt.
The resort is also urging Malaysians to head to the polls by giving voters with ink-marked fingers the chance to redeem offers through its “Jom Undi” buy-one-get-one-free promotion from Nov 19 to 20.
Redeemable items include a Genting Skyworld day pass, a Skytropolis unlimited ride pass and an Awana Skyway return ticket.
This is applicable to purchases at physical ticketing counters. A maximum of six tickets can be purchased per person, subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis.
On Nov 19, Secret Recipe will be offering a 30% discount on all drinks for customers with ink-marked fingers at all its outlets nationwide.
Those with ink-marked fingers can also stop by Salad Atelier in The Starling shopping centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, to redeem a free three-piece meatball meal on Nov 19.
Time off from classes
For out-of-state students who are eager to vote, Higher Education Ministry has granted those in higher education institutions five days off from Nov 17 to 21 to cast their votes for GE15.
Those from public and private institutions, including matriculation and vocational colleges as well as teacher training institutes, are eligible for the five-day leave.
According to the Election Commission, GE15 will see a 1.4 million-strong Undi18 electoral bloc this year.
