Tamil Murasu – Special Voting Arrangements for Nursing Home Residents

In Singapore’s first general election after independence in 1968, the People’s Action Party (PAP) won all 58 seats in Parliament. On Saturday (May 3), Singaporeans voted in the country’s 14th general election.

Among them was 97-year-old Maylvaganam Sabapathy, a resident of Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home, who cast his vote on Saturday morning. He shared his memories of past elections with Tamil Murasu.

Mr. Maylvaganam recalled that as a young man living in the Serangoon constituency, he once stood as a candidate in an election, running against a PAP candidate who was regarded as having leftist views. He noted that the PAP candidate won that election by a narrow margin.

“Singapore has seen good development over the years,” he reflected.

Mr. Maylvaganam was one of several residents from Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home who voted at various polling stations on Saturday.

Care staff accompanied six wheelchair-bound elderly residents to a nearby polling station at Block 734, Yishun Avenue 5. Sree Narayana Mission has also arranged for the remaining nine residents to vote at polling stations near their home addresses.

Suryakumaran Subramaniam, 86, a resident and former business owner, said the organisation had made the voting arrangements well.

“We were brought in carefully and with proper security. Voting was smooth. I extend my best wishes to the most deserving candidates,” he said.

S. Devendran, CEO of Sree Narayana Mission Nursing Home, said the home is committed to supporting residents who wish to vote.

“We arranged staff and transportation to assist residents going to the polling stations. The Elections Department also made various provisions, including wheelchair ramps, to help elderly and wheelchair-bound voters,” Mr. Devendran said.

Mahalakshmi Annamalai, 39, manager of Sunlove Home, said that elderly residents under their care were transported in wheelchairs to polling stations near their homes.

“We safely transported about 30 elderly residents to the polling stations. They were happy to be able to vote despite their limited mobility,” said Ms. Mahalakshmi.

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