JOHOR BARU: All counters at the Johor Causeway and Malaysia-Singapore Second Link will be open to facilitate citizens who work or live in Singapore to return for the Mahkota by-election this Saturday.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the state government is committed to ensuring a smooth process at the country's entry points.
"I have contacted the Malaysian Immigration Department to ensure that counters at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) here, and the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri, will operate at maximum capacity starting this Friday.
"This is to further streamline the return journey of voters to Mahkota beginning on Friday and Saturday.
"It is important to make it easier for Mahkota state constituency voters to return and fulfil their responsibility.
"I appeal to the thousands of voters working in Singapore to come back and vote," he told a press conference at his official residence at Saujana here yesterday.
Onn added that every vote is crucial to further strengthening the country's democratic system.
"The state government, with the federal government's help, has made many efforts to facilitate the nearly 300,000 Johoreans who commute to Singapore daily.
"This includes public transportation improvements, additional counters, more immigration officers, and upgrading of infrastructure and systems.
"I ask that this Saturday, please come down to the Mahkota state constituency, return home briefly to show solidarity for the efforts made thus far," he said.
The Mahkota by-election sees a contest between Barisan Nasional candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah and Perikatan Nasional's Mohamad Haizan Jaafar.
The by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, on Aug 2.
Mahkota, in the Kluang Parliamentary constituency, has 66,318 registered voters, with 20 polling centres set to open this Saturday.