The Home Ministry will be holding a meeting with Malaysians working in Singapore to determine if special arrangements are required for them to return and vote in the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections, according to Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, the Home Minister. Feedback from the by-elections machinery will also be taken into account. “I will be in Singapore on Wednesday (Sept 6) to meet Malaysians working there and listen to their views. We will assess based on that and then make a decision. Any developments will be announced later,” he stated during a ceramah at a coffee shop in Taman Anggerik (Sept 5).
Approximately 30% of the 166,653 registered voters in the Pulai parliamentary seat are Malaysians employed in Singapore. Johor works, transportation, and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh announced that no special lanes will be made available at either the Causeway or Second Link on polling day. “This is because we do not want those who are not voters to take advantage of any special lane… at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ). However, we will make sure that all counters at both BSI and KSAB are operational before and during polling day,” he clarified (The Star).
Fazli Mohamad Salleh added that the time advisory is intended to prevent voters from encountering long delays at the Causeway and Second Link due to the influx of Singaporeans crossing over into Malaysia on the weekend. The Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats became vacant following the passing of their elected representative Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, the domestic trade and cost of living minister, on July 23. The campaign for the by-elections concludes at 11.59 pm on Friday (Sept 8), with polling day set for Saturday (Sept 9).
Credit: The Star : News Feed
