The most echoed question resonating across the island during Polling Day is not “who are you voting for?” but rather, “what time you going JB ah?”
A “Soul Destroying” Traffic Jam: The Journey North
As the sun rose on this unexpected public holiday, Singaporeans were gearing up for a different kind of race—the great race to Johor Bahru (JB).
But little did they know, they were about to embark on a journey that one weary traveller described as “soul destroying”, as the jam lasted for more than nine hours.
But despite the traffic woes, the spirit of adventure (or perhaps the lure of cheaper shopping and food in JB) seemed to triumph, as ICA just said that 1.7 million people crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the long weekend of the presidential polls.
It was a landslide victory not just for Tharman, but for the JB economy too, which saw a significant boost thanks to the influx of Singaporean visitors.
A Record-Breaking Weekend: The ICA’s Advisory and the Unwavering Singaporean Spirit
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) had foreseen this massive exodus and had even advised Malaysia-bound motorists to factor in extra travelling time ahead of the Polling Day weekend.
But alas, their warnings fell on deaf ears, as Singaporeans were determined to make the most of their long weekend, coupled with the start of the September school holidays.
According to the ICA, as the eve of Polling Day approached, the land crossings began to witness a surge in traffic, with over 237,000 departures recorded at the checkpoints.
The numbers dipped slightly on Polling Day itself, but still remained high with about 227,000 departures. This surge in travellers spanned over a period of five days, starting from Friday, 31 August until Monday, 4 September, marking a historic high since the reopening of land borders between Singapore and Malaysia in 2022.
Not Just Cars
In a video posted by @danny.cyc on TikTok, he claims he took four hours to get through the JB customs by bus on Polling Day.
@danny.cyc first time taking the bus to JB and I have to face this crowd :’) luckily met someone really nice to guide me along the way 🙏 #sgtojb #sgcustom #jbcustom ♬ Funkytown But It’s Low Quality (新版) – 怡怡子
Another TikToker, @vj1411, posted a video showing the crowds going through the JB customs by foot.
@vj1411 I do no polling day for Singapore or johor 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Malaysian those work at Singapore all die today at jam #kumarvjboyee #jbsingapore #jam #peoplecrowd #fypシ゚viral #fyp #jbtosg🇸🇬🇲🇾 #heavyjam #BangBangBang ♬ original sound – Mitra Mitra
They are all just part of the 1.7 million crowd.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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