So what were Malaysians talking about when they #BeraturGE14?

In case you’ve just returned from your week-long hike on Gunung Tahan, here’s some shocking news for you: the 14th General Election is over and done with, and Malaysia is now under the Pakatan Rakyat rule, meaning that Mahathir is now our Prime Minister… again. Now that we’re all up to speed, before the election happened we asked our readers to share with us what they overhear or experience while queuing up to vote using the hashtag #BeraturGE14.

Goooot. From what our readers posted, it’s possible to paint a sort of picture of what Malaysian elections are like. For example…

 

The line. The long, long line

You’ve probably noticed the lines of people if you went to vote the other day.

7.40 am, Kota Kemuning.#BeraturGE14 has begun.#Malaysia #GE14 #PRU14 pic.twitter.com/34XwPyv7Xz

— Jazli Aziz (@JazliAziz) May 8, 2018

 

A: Is this line for bukit serdang? B: Yes yes A: Ooo ok thanks! The line is too long till I cant aee the school!#BeraturGE14 #BukitSerdang — Joylene Ling (@jutlin) May 8, 2018

The sunny Malaysian climate probably didn’t help, but that just makes us appreciate those who stayed in line to vote even more 😉 .

Some were lucky for not having to queue at all at their voting stations. @nurazreen voted at such a station, but she had to queue anyways.

Today #BeraturGE14 I was in queue for more than an hour in the sauna weather only to find out upon reaching the voting room that I went to the wrong place. Nasib my real voting place takyah beratur, masuk terus vote.

— azreen (@nurazreeen) May 9, 2018

But even with long lines, our readers reported that the voters lined up in a proper manner, without much complaint. Wah, so nice!    

“Did SPR know to put all the patient voters in this line? 1hour in and no one has complained.” #beraturge14 — ravenfiend (@ravenfiend) May 9, 2018

Jangan potong queue macam ni kedai nasi kandar okeii , sabar. Wait for your turn. #GE14 #PRU14 #beraturGE14

— Shatis:) (@zenK11) May 9, 2018

Put a bunch of Malaysians in line together, and what do you get? Some may guess that people just looked at their phones for the most part, but actually…      

Strangers do talk to each other while queuing up

While some voting stations were reportedly kinda quiet…      

People are actually queing up and tweeting #BeraturGE14 instead of having awkward conversations. ?#irony#why — RizalGuaperas✊? (@RizalRozhan) May 9, 2018

Others not so much. Some, like @sarahreanna‘s dad, saw this as an opportunity to have a chat with random strangers:

Omg my dad sampai je terus borak dengan org depan dia like wtf ? he’s so social #BeraturGE14

— Splendid Angahard (@sarahreanna) May 9, 2018

The older generation in particular seemed rather pleased with all the young voters coming to vote:      

Uncle after voting passing by the queue to vote “So good la you all young people coming out to vote in the morning” #BeraturGE14 — Szewanderful (@szewanderful) May 9, 2018

And since a lot of the voting happened in schools…

 

Ermahgerd the school flashbacks!

Unless you’re a parent or a teacher, it had probably been a while since you’ve stepped foot inside a school. The sights can trigger fond memories for some:

“They send us back to school every 5 years,” #GE14 #BeraturGE14

— phoenix. (@PhoenixIgnite) May 9, 2018

The school bell in particular got a lot of mentions… how long were these people in line?!   

#beraturGE14 *kringggggggggg* Recess weh! Everybody laughed. — puan mama (@alialsammm) May 9, 2018

(bell rings)
“Is it recess time?” #BeraturGE14 #GE14

— phoenix. (@PhoenixIgnite) May 9, 2018

 

*school bell rings* Aunty: “Walao~ feel like going to school again!”#BeraturGE14 #Malaysia #GE14 #PRU14@cilisosmy — Jazli Aziz (@JazliAziz) May 9, 2018

 

Some received visits from politicians while in line…

…but not everyone was too excited about that. At least, not for the Kepayan DUN seat in Sabah, anyways. @RizalRozhan recounted how voters at the voting station reacted towards this guy:

 

So tadi Calon ADUN N. 19 Kapayan dari BN salam2 orang yg tengah #BeraturGE14.

Girl behind me: “Ish. Boleh ka tida mau salam tangan dia tu.”

?

— RizalGuaperas✊? (@RizalRozhan) May 9, 2018

 

Francis Goh mengedarkan air minuman bagi pengundi2. Seorang pengundi: “saya ambil seja ni air ni, sa tidak mau minum”. #MalaysiaMemilih #GE14 #Jannie4Kapayan #BeraturGE14 — RizalGuaperas✊? (@RizalRozhan) May 9, 2018

All seriousness of politics and voting aside…

 

Malaysians will be Malaysians

Hiburan #BeraturGE14 pic.twitter.com/mHyHetl6uX

— RizalGuaperas✊? (@RizalRozhan) May 9, 2018

While we may have heard some serious stuff in the line to vote…

Dulu kita rasa diorg okay, tapi sekarang banyak nak ubah, cuba kita try ubah pulak #beraturGE14 #membawangmasaberatur #kinrara — Bazli Najmeddine (@bazlinj) May 9, 2018

…there’s a sort of festive air among Malaysians on the day that contrasts with the solemnity of the affair. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Today I #beraturGE14 with my toddler. She sang- jom jom kita jom kita pergi mengundi (in jong jong inai tune). — puan mama (@alialsammm) May 9, 2018

Seeing all the young and old lining up, some young parents even bringing their kids, its rsther refreshing dont you think? for a better malaysia. #BeraturGE14 #BukitSerdang — Joylene Ling (@jutlin) May 9, 2018

Overall, it had been one heck of an election day, and regardless of the outcome, we’re sure a lot of people will remember it for years to come… or at least, until the next election. Have you overheard other funny stuff while lining up to vote the other day? Let us know in the comments!