Johor polls: Malaysians in Singapore return home to cast votes

JOHOR BAHRU: The land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) at Larkin Sentral here is abuzz with Malaysians returning from Singapore ahead of polling day tomorrow.

Muhammad Hazeq Amir Aziz, 26, from Mersing who works as a mailman in Singapore is among those who have returned to cast his vote tomorrow.

"I have been in Singapore for two years and I feel lucky as I managed to get a ticket to return to Malaysia today. It was really difficult to get a ticket actually.

"My intention is to return home to vote, and use this opportunity to meet the family I have not met for two years. It is our responsibility to vote, I am excited to vote for the first time," he told Bernama in Larkin Sentral today.

Lee Chen Seng, 36, also uses the opportunity to return to vote in the Johor state election to be reunited with his family after two years of being apart due to the closure of the country's borders.

"Voting is our responsibility, everyone needs to vote. I came home because for me every vote is important," said Lee, who works as a factory manager in Singapore.

Muhammad Hazeq and Lee said their journey through the Johor Causeway went smoothly and the VTL process was simple.

Malaysia and Singapore launched VTL-Land on Nov 29 last year aimed at facilitating a non-quarantine cross-border movement that integrates health, security and immigration clearance protocols to help reunite those separated from their loved ones due to the pandemic.

Tomorrow is polling day for the state polls.

-- BERNAMA