Malaysians in Singapore scramble to make plans to vote
(Straits Times) – MINUTES after Malaysia’s election date was announced, Mr Lim Khoon Yang was at his computer feverishly searching for flights to Penang, his home state. The 30-year-old software developer, who has been working in Singapore for the past two years, has never voted before.
Now, with the date of Malaysia’s highly anticipated electoral contest finally revealed, he cannot wait to be home for the May 5 polls.
“I’m so relieved, I’ve been waiting for far too long,” he said.
Wednesday’s announcement galvanised some of the 400,000 Malaysians living in Singapore. While not all will be going home, especially those who failed to register in time, those who did register are scrambling to make travel plans.
Postal voting was finally allowed for overseas Malaysians this year, but not for those living in Singapore, Brunei, southern Thailand and Kalimantan in Indonesia.
Malaysians in these places must return to cast their vote.
A check with four coach companies that operate buses from Singapore to Malaysia revealed that tickets for the weekend of May 5 are running out or fully sold for destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Taiping, Ipoh and Penang.
Tickets have also been selling fast for buses leaving on May 1 and the night of April 30.
May 1 is Labour Day, a public holiday in both Singapore and Malaysia.
Some customers do not care what time the bus leaves, so long as they get a ticket, said Mr Leong Ying Ken, a manager at Golden Coach Express.
Five Stars Tours, which has 50 buses going to Malaysia every day, is considering doubling services to 100 a day for the May 5 weekend.
