High Voter Turnout Makes for Long Lines as Malaysians Head to Polls

There were long lines as Malaysians cast their votes in the country’s highly contested parliamentary elections on Wednesday, May 9.Amalina Sehabudin uploaded video on Instagram and Facebook showing hundreds of voters waiting at SMK Bandar Seri Alam in Johor Baru, on the school building’s first and second floors. “I arrived at 10:30 in the morning, finished voting at 2:45 in the afternoon,” she wrote.Channel News Asia said two people died as they stood in line, while an election clerk was also killed, after falling over in the restroom of a polling station.Around 14 million Malaysians were registered to vote. Voter turnout was 69 percent as of 3 pm, three hours before polling stations close.Opposition politicians hope dissatisfied voters could help them oust the scandal-hit Prime Minister Najib Razak. The elections pit Najib’s ruling Barisan Nasional coalition against the opposition Pakatan Harapan, led by the 92-year-old former PM Mahathir Mohamad. Credit: emmeamalina via Storyful