Sabah couple says ‘I do’ on election day as polling centres buzz nearby

KOTA KINABALU (Nov 29): While thousands of Sabahans headed to polling centres today, one couple marked a different kind of milestone — their wedding day.

Terrence Yap, 30, and Tracy Lo, 27, tied the knot at the Sacred Heart Cathedral here, located beside the SRK Sacred Heart polling centre.

They said the day went smoother than expected despite coinciding with the 17th Sabah state election.

“We are very happy because everything went pretty smooth. It was raining from morning until afternoon, but luckily it stopped in time. Sunny day, everything went well,” Terrence said after the ceremony.

The couple had chosen 29 November as their wedding date six months ago, long before the Election Commission (EC) announced polling would fall on the same day.

“So when we found out, we were a bit shocked. We were scared about traffic and parking. And we were afraid some guests might prefer to go and vote instead of coming to the wedding,” Terrence said.

Their concerns eased as the event unfolded, with around 30 guests arriving without issue.

“Luckily our family understood us, so they still attended our wedding. After that they went to vote,” Tracy said.

The newlyweds themselves cast their ballots immediately after wrapping up their wedding programme.

Terrence voted at SK Darau, while Tracy cast hers at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Training Centre. Both centres fall under the Sepanggar parliamentary constituency.

Born and raised in Kota Kinabalu, the couple first met as students at Curtin University in Sarawak.

As newlyweds, they also shared a message for Sabahans.

“Please go out to vote. We need your help,” Terrence said.