Kuala lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that his remarks regarding the Johor state election dates were merely a personal view aimed at encouraging a higher voter turnout, and not an attempt to interfere in the Election Commission's (EC) decision.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar emphasized that the EC was an independent body with the sole authority to determine polling dates. He noted that Sunday voting would potentially be more convenient for Malaysians working in Singapore to return home to cast their ballots. 'Many Malaysians are working in Singapore, and many of them work half-day on Saturdays. So, I think Sunday would be better. But the EC is an independent body. If it decides on Saturday, that is its decision,' he explained.

Anwar clarified that his comments were intended to be constructive and should not be seen as interference. 'My remarks were made in that context and should not be construed as interference. If I were interfering, it would be a different matter,' he stated during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.

He was responding to a question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas), who sought clarification over media reports on Anwar's remarks during the Johor state election campaign regarding the decision to hold polling on a Saturday instead of a Sunday.

Anwar further elaborated that he had no intention of contacting his Singapore counterpart, Lawrence Wong, over voting arrangements for the state election. He stressed that Malaysia adhered to the principle of non-interference in another country's electoral process. 'I have no plans to contact the Prime Minister of Singapore over voting or elections in Malaysia,' he said, responding to a query from Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat), who suggested engaging with Singapore to facilitate the return of Malaysian voters for the state election.

However, Anwar mentioned that companies in Singapore had been informed to facilitate Malaysian employees returning home to vote whenever an election was held.