Adli Hakimi, a 26-year-old nurse who works in Singapore and votes in Tiram, Johor, identifies the Johor-Singapore Causeway as a major obstacle ahead of Malaysia’s state election on July 11. Known as “SGD fighters” for earning Singapore-dollar wages, many Johor workers based in Singapore are carefully planning leave, shifts, and border crossing times to ensure they can vote.

Adli, who has worked in Singapore’s healthcare sector for about three years, told This Week in Asia, “I have requested leave on that day.” He now commutes daily by motorcycle after trying various modes of transport between Johor and Singapore, noting that public transport trips on weekends often result in heavy traffic jams.

He praised the Johor state government for its efforts supporting Malaysians working in Singapore but emphasized the need for safer pedestrian options, pointing out the concerning sight of workers walking along the Johor-Singapore bridge.

For Malaysia, the challenge lies in managing immigration procedures and Causeway congestion to enable these cross-border voters to participate in one of the country’s most closely watched state elections.

Sources