I'll pay for my right to vote.

The eligible voters in my family have all received the official of notification. The Polling Card has arrived in the mailbox and my name wasn't on it.

The last General Elections was in 2001. It's been 5 years since and the incumbents in Jalan Besar GRC is again being challenged.

The elections in 2001, I was away studying. The few of us were rather excited because there were news that we could actually vote from overseas. How exciting. But it was not to be, it was only this year that overseas voting will actually happen. The only weird thing is that only about 1 thousand of them registered to vote.

From the time of the last elections to this current elections, I had no idea that I have already relinquished my voting rights because I did not vote in the last elections. Since I was away and the selective periods amnesia that my mum seems to be suffering from at the most inoppportune moments (increasing in frequency and annoyance). Oh well, it was 5 years ago. An elephant might be forgiven about the details as well. No, I'm not saying my mum's an elephant. I'm saying it's likely for anyone to forget such details.

So I can't vote this elections.

Damn.

I don't care. I have already filled up my APPLICATION FOR THE RESTORATION OF NAME TO THE REGISTER OF ELECTORS. The troubling thing is this. They asked for the reason why I was "AWAY". That's easy. I was studying abroad (not studying a broad). Then they asked for the period I was away. In a MM/DD/YYYY format. Wah lau. That was bloody 7 years ago!

In any case, I really do hope they will restore my name. I feel so unrepresented. I am not political, but I am definitely not one of those "youths" or "young Singaporeans" who are collectively said to be apathetic (not a pathetic). The fine is $5 if they do not agree with my reason for not voting the last time round. I don't understand the fine. But if that's the amount of money I need to pay before I get to vote, that's really cheap.

The $5 will come from my Progress Package.