SIK: Shabudin Md Nor, the elder brother of Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi turned down two job offers in Saudi Arabia and Qatar so he could cast his vote in today's state polls.
He arrived at the SK Bandar Baru Beris Jaya polling centre for Jeneri state seat about 8.30am. He took about 15 minutes to exercise his democratic rights.
The second child of 13 siblings said his other brothers, sisters and parents will cast their vote at the same polling centre.
"I am supposed to leave for Saudi Arabia and Qatar last Wednesday for job offers, but I decided that I have to do my part to vote.
"Insya Allah, I will be flying off to other countries after this. Nothing to be worried about since there are plenty of jobs following the increase in global fuel prices," said the off-shore underwater welder.
On July 10, the picture of his bungalow located near Sik Hospital went viral and it was alleged that it was owned by Sanusi.
Several Facebook pages accused Sanusi of having built the house using proceeds allegedly gained from illegal rare earth mining activities in Sik district.
However, Sanusi categorically denied the allegation and explained that the house belonged to his elder brother who built the property using his income as a professional underwater welder.
Shabudin said he was not really pressured by the incident.
"I am used to being under pressure as it is part of my job, it did not really bother me," he said in reference to the slander against me regarding his home."
Meanwhile, Sanusi's father Md Nor Taib, 82, arrived earlier at 9.15am to cast his vote.
The wheelchair-bound retired imam was accompanied by his second son Sobri, 54.
"Alhamdulillah, I have cast my vote. I have never skipped voting ever since the first election," he said.
Sanusi, who is representing Perikatan Nasional is in a straight fight with Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Muhamad Khizri Abu Kassim for the Jeneri state seat.
In the 14th General Election (GE14), Sanusi defeated BN incumbent Mahadzir Abdul Hamid and Pakatan Harapan's (PH) Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan with a 2,455-vote majority to clinch the seat.
There are 35,079 eligible voters in the constituency with over 90 per cent being Malays.