LABIS: Tenang folks woke up to heavy rain, but voters, like the elderly and wheelchair bound, were among the early birds at the Labis Timor voting centre in Kampung Paya Merah multi-purpose hall here when polling began at 8.00am.

Labis MP Chua Tee Yong was at the centre since 7.40am to monitor the situation and render help.

He said he hoped the rain would stop soon so that voters could come out in full force to vote.

Chua said he understood the inconvenience faced by voters because of the rain but urged voters to bear with the situation and come out to cast their votes.

Meanwhile, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek also visited several polling stations in the morning.

His first stop was at the Kampung Paya Merah multipurpose hall, followed by Sekolah Menangah Kebangsaan Kamarul Ariffin, Sekolah Kebangsaan Air Panas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tenang Station and Sekolah Kebangsaan Tamil Ladang Voules.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong who started his visits to polling stations early morning, was stranded in Tenang station as floodwaters rose by late morning.

“I am still stuck at the Segamat-Labis stretch, the trunk road leading to many of the polling stations,” said the Ayer Hitam MP.

He said Barisan Nasional leaders and workers were frantically updating each other on the flood situation and how best to help get voters to the polling stations on time.

“We had made preparations earlier but the rain is too heavy and non-stop, and we are not taking any chances,” he said about 11.30am.

He said the wet day had forced him to move around in shorts and slippers.

-The STAR-