With the election under way, we've been bombarded with campaigns telling us that we should cast our votes. We're supposed to vote because it's our duty as Malaysians.

Well, maybe many Malaysians out there could relate to that. But for the many who have never voted or have no inkling of interest in politics, this seems like another political propaganda or yet another political party's gimmick to win.

If you happen to belong to the latter group, well, you're like me then. I mean, hey, why should I bother waking up early and queuing up just to cast my vote. If that candidate was meant to win, then he or she would have won without my vote or otherwise.

But now I somehow feel that maybe I should vote, not for the sake of that candidate or wanting that candidate to win, but rather because I'm doing myself favour. As far as I'm concerned, that's the reason that I'm voting.

The candidate standing in my constituency doesn't know me, and I don't know him or her personally myself. Heck, I don't even know whether it's a he or a she! Not that I care or want to make any effort to get to know the person. But I do know the political party that this person represents, at least based on what I've seen around me.

The way I see it, if that candidate were to lose, then the political party he or she represents loses too. I guess I have come to realise that I have an interest in wanting that candidate to win and perhaps my interest is greater than that of the candidate's. My interest is in the manner and style of administration of the party that this candidate represents. My belief lies in the concept of development that they can bring as well as the ideology that they uphold.

So now, I do want to cast my vote, only because I want to make sure that the political party that I believe in should be given a chance to run the country. I just want to ensure that my interests are protected and provided for, and more importantly that I do not wish to fall prey, and be a victim to a system that I have no faith in.

I do not want to end up blaming myself should something adverse happen in the future just because I was too wrapped up in nothing or was simply not bothered to cast my vote.

Okay, so other people might benefit, too, when that political party wins. I'd consider that an incidental benefit. I'm no champion, nor am I that patriotic. So call me selfish, I don't care what you think. That's my right, and yes, I'm voting for my self-interests. At least, I'm doing something positive for my own good.

To all you people like me out there, maybe one day the reason people like us vote may be different like maybe then we'd be voting for the good of the nation and see it as our responsibility to do so.

But if we have yet to get there, so be it. Just do it for our own self-interests for now. Our reasons in wanting to vote may differ from the rest, but why should that matter? I say we should just go out and cast our votes. Lets just do it for own personal good. And why ever not, pray tell me?