Emirati voters cast ballots during early FNC polls

Source: 
Gulf News
Publication date: 
Sep 28 2015

Abu Dhabi: Exercising the right to political participation, witnessing a turning point in the country or merely supporting a colleague were among the reasons that drove crowds of eager Emiratis to cast their ballots for their desired Federal National Council (FNC) candidate.

Despite the diversity of goals, each of the voters and candidates who queued up at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) shared one common objective — to build an even greater UAE.

Participating in the FNC elections for the second time as a voter, Mohammad Al Mharam, 31, who works for Abu Dhabi Police, said: “Apart from the fact that today (Monday) was my only choice to cast a vote, as I am working over the next few days as well as on the official election day on October 3, I wanted to be one of the first people to vote.

“The one goal that I would love to see the FNC work towards is to ensure that the UAE grows from strength to strength. Other desires include reducing petrol prices and ensuring that schools adopt a strong curriculum to expand students’ frontiers of knowledge,” said Al Mharam.

Maryam Al Falasi, a FNC candidate, commuted from Dubai to vote and witness the significant milestone in her country’s capital on the first day of early voting.

“Even if I do not win, being a part of this experience was an achievement on its own. At the end of the day, it does not matter who wins as we are all working towards the same aim, which is building an even greater UAE,” she said.

Another FNC candidate, Buthainia Al Qubaisi, environment manager at a local entity, who came to the polling station to vote, said: “Gone are the days when people used to pick others based on personal relationships. Emiratis are now extremely knowledgeable about the FNC and I am certain that voters will opt for those who truly deserve it.”

Meanwhile, Mattar Al Rumaithi, a government employee, voted for the first time solely to support a colleague who is running for candidacy.

Ahmad Bin Shabib Al Daheri, a member of the National Election Committee (NEC), commented on the occasion: “The UAE has given its citizens four days to vote so they can have as many options as possible and for the process to not hinder the country’s political, professional or economic progress in any way.”

http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/government/emirati-voters-cast-ballots-duri...