High turnout in Sharjah

Sharjah: Voters continued to pour into the polling station at the Sharjah Expo Centre here, with some estimates saying the turnout for the Federal National Council (FNC) election has been around 70 per cent and set to climb.

Women turned out in large numbers to cast their ballots.

Major General Saif Al Sha'afar, Undersecretary of the Interior Ministry and Head of the Security Committee at the National Election Committee (NEC), said security arrangements are in place. "It is well known that the security level in the UAE is high and it is a safe country," he said. Major General Al Sha'afar said he did not expect any security problems.

"There has been no complaint either by candidates or voters, and
no one has registered an objection so far. If that happens, there is a special committee to handle it," he said.

Mariam Al Roumi, Minister of Social Affairs and a voter, said: "I expect that the next phase will be different because now we have a new era in which we have an election and voting, which is considered a leap for the FNC and the role played by its members."

She said she was happy that in a woman was voted to the council from Abu Dhabi. "The presence of women is very important in the FNC because life is not only restricted to men, women should participate," Mariam said.

She said she expects that more women will be elected and if not, they will be nominated because the leaders are aware that the country needs both genders in the decision-making process.