Website to aid M'sians in Singapore carpool for polls

A carpooling website has been set up, calling on Malaysians living across the causeway to help each other return home to cast their ballots in the upcoming general election, but is yet to be officially launched.

Initiated by Bersih Singapore , the move aims "to help ease the pain of the travel for polling day" for those driving back to the country.

"Basically we match Malaysians, who intend to drive home to vote and have empty seats, with Malaysians who would benefit from the empty seats," said the website.

"For the drivers, you can help make it possible for a few fellow Malaysians go back to vote, while optionally have the passengers help you defray some of the transport costs.

"For the passengers, you can go back to vote at zero or reduced transport cost with more flexible timing."

The website provides forms for the driver and the passenger to fill in their contact details, basic travel arrangements and their respective parliamentary constituencies.

Helping hand from another site

The details of driver and passenger will be forwarded to each other by email. Once they match, the final arrangements are up to the parties concerned.

Meanwhile, another website Jombalikundi.com has been set up, calling for all Malaysians living abroad to return to vote.

It displays photos of Malaysians holding placards saying "Jom Balik Undi" and "I (heart-shaped sign) Malaysia" as well as articles highlighting their plight of not being able to exercise their franchise from overseas.

Both websites are endorsed by postal voting rights group MyOverseasVote (MOV) in the bid to enable and encourage as many Malaysians abroad as possible to come home to vote.

The Election Commission (EC) had earlier announced that voters who register themselves by Dec 31 will be able to vote if the 13th general election is called by February or March 2013.

However, as the laws for postal ballots have yet to be amended, the EC called on Malaysians abroad to register themselves as ordinary voters at Malaysian diplomatic missions to qualify to register as postal voters.