Voters pour into RAK poll centres

Ras Al Khaimah: Voters poured into the polling centre in a steady stream as the Federal National Council (FNC) election got under way here.

Election officials said about 300-400 voters cast their ballot at the Cultural Centre within the first two hours of the doors opening at 8am. In Ras Al Khaimah, 80 candidates are running for three seats to be decided by 1,061 voters.

Mubarak Ali Al Shamsi, who heads the emirate's Election Committee, said the turnout in the morning was very high and expects it to increase through the day.

Abdullah Al Sagheer was the first to file nomination papers and the first candidate to vote. Dr. Ali Shakar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health and a member of the Electoral College, said voters in the emirate know their candidates well and, campaigning therefore, had little influence.

He stressed that he voted for the candidates he thought would best represent Emiratis at the FNC. He said a candidate should be educated and must be able to carry out social and political responsibilities.

Badriya Al Sa'adi, a woman voter, she did not cast her vote along gender lines. However, she said when Dr. Amal Al Qubaisi won in Abu Dhabi, women in Ras Al Khaimah were happy, hoping more women would be voted to the FNC. She said there is “no room for tribal loyalties'' in the election. Candidates who can represent all Emiratis will be voted to the council.

Najeeb Al Shamsi, a candidate, said Ras Al Khaimah has benefited from the experiment in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah regarding voter turnout and choice of candidates.