An 89-year-old Malaysian grandmother is running for parliament in Saturday’s general election and is using the Internet to promote her campaign and to reach voters.
Maimun Yusuf And Posing Voter
Supporters of Maimun Yusuf have helped her create a profile on Facebook and are also running a blog for her (www.maimunbintiyusuf.blogspot.com). She is the oldest election candidate in the country and most likely in the world.
“This is very tiring. I have been going non-stop since nomination day but a lot of people are helping me out, so I’m not pulling out,” Yusuf told Reuters. She is running in Kuala Terengganu, capital of Teregganu state.
Yusuf surprised her town when she showed up to register on February 24 as an independent candidate. Since then she has received the support of 24 volunteers and has used the Internet to communicate her message.
On her unusual campaign she said,” Alhamdulillah (Thank God), I am happy. I hope it can serve as an example to younger people. They just sit and complain and since no one I knew was willing to fight, I decided that I had to be the one to do it.”
She has spent 20,000 ringgit ($6,319) on her campaign so far using most of her savings. As for here election message to voters she says she is upset when young people turn to drugs and that there are a lack of schools. If elected she says, “I will make it all better.”
