Saturday, May 06, 2006
My "Sacred" Vote

Today is Polling Day for GE 2006. My first ever where I actually got to vote. Am I excited? In a way, yes. But more on that later.

I have refrained, quite successfully, from talking about politics for the past week of electioneering. I've even avoided reading news about the GE as far as possible so that I do not get riled up by certain campaigning antics that the stormtrooper party (only stormtroopers wear all white) engages in. I know that reading more will only raise the vitriol in me. I concede. Nobody ever said that politics are clean but if I were to believe that there's honour among thieves, some of these people running are worse than thieves.

Anyway, as regards to eloquent discussions on the GE and its issues, visit these two blogs by my friends, Jean Grey and Darkmuse.

As my post title suggests, I gave my "sacred" vote (A direct play off the 投票是神圣的 tagline. I think whoever came up with this is a cock. Voting is 重要 but not 神圣) this afternoon, accompanying my mum to our designated polling station, CHIJ Lady of The Nativity. My ward happens to be the hotly contested Aljunied Ward (Don't ask me why it's not Hougang. I can tell you safely the way that the electoral boundaries are carved up, only two adjectives can adequately describe them: Confusing and fcuked-up) and I am sure (At least I hope), there will be one hellva show on tonight.

Anyway, we went there at about 2+ in the afternoon and there were constant streams of people going in to vote (although it was not crowded). I was pretty surprised at that, I'd have thought people would have gone early to vote to get it over and done with. But nope. Anyway, a few observations at the poling station.

1. I am not too sure about how crowded the polling stations were at anytime but the polling officers were so free, they were basically rather eager to help anyone in their sights. I did really need any help in finding my way but more than a couple of times, some of the polling officers stopped me and offered to help. I figure I must either really look like an autistic child or Osama Bin Laden and they thought I was gonna bomb the building. Dudes, I am a Chinese, you know...
2. The designated lobo polling officer of the day is the one manning the enquiries desk or helpdesk, whatever they call it. When I was there, the guy was just fiddling on his laptop. I rather suspect he was playing solitaire. And I also think he must be a whitehorse to get the lobo post.
3. The polling officers really DO NOT look at your votes. The voting stand I went to had an SAF 11B on it. Evidently some poor soldier is crying his heart out tonight bemoaning his lost idenitity card and having to explain to his officers how he lost it.

An even more interesting point to note. I met George Yeo there. And guess what, I gave him the cold-shoulder. He looked my way and I looked away like I didn't know or care who he was. How many of you give the Foreign Minister the cold shoulder? How many, how many? Hah. Only an SOB would do that, I hear you say...well, I am SOB so fcuk off!

George Yeo: Had the great honour of being snubbed by THE SOB

Unfortunately, I seem to run into Mr Yeo an awful lot these past few days...unintentionally. I have run into him a total of three times this week. I am not too sure but I think he might be stalking me. Bugger off, George, I don't like you!

Finally, just in case you are wondering, I voted for WP. A lot of friends warned me that this is career suicide since I am a civil servant. Hey, this is a job, not a career so 'fraid not. Besides if you guys find me murdered and butchered up into sixty nine (Even in death, I gotta have 69) pieces because of who I voted for, at least you know the authorities are truly evil. And hopefully, in the knowledge that maybe, just maybe, I have made a Foreign Minister jobless.