JOHOR BARU: Thousands of Malay­sians working in Singapore are returning to their hometowns to vote today.

IT engineer Syahrul Ezaman, 25, said he was glad his employer had approved his leave so that he could return to Ulu Langat.

“This will be my first time voting and I’m excited,” he said when met at the Larkin integrated transportation terminal here.

Syahrul, who commutes to Singa­pore from Johor Baru daily, said 100 other Malay­sians in the same company would also return to vote.

“I’ll take a midnight bus tomorrow back to Johor Baru before going straight back to work,” he added.

Factory supervisor M. Thaina­ga­ran, 52, took leave until tomorrow to return to Lukut, Negri Sem­bilan.

He said this would be his fourth time voting in the general election.

Hairstylist Winson Yap, 35, said he did not want to miss voting although it was not compulsory unlike in Singapore.

“My employer even reminded me to take leave to vote, as it is a duty for every citizen,” he said.

Larkin Sentral auxiliary police officer Aisyah Abd Rani, 28, said she would drive home to Kluang to vote after her shift ended at 8pm.

Unofficial statistics show that some 300,000 Malaysians commute daily from Johor to Singapore to work, while another 400,000 Malay­sians work and live in Singapore.

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