KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia on Wednesday declared May 9 as an additional public holiday, after the election commission designated the day, which falls on a Wednesday, as the polling day for the upcoming general election.

The public holiday is to facilitate the Malaysian people to fulfill their obligations as voters, said the Prime Minister's Office in a statement.

It is the first time in two decades for a polling day to fall on a weekday. The timing of the polling day has led many people working outside their hometown or in foreign countries to complain that it is a move to lower the voter turnout.

Many Internet users working in Singapore have posted messages on the social media, asking for or offering car pool services to go back home to vote.

According to data from the Election Commission, a total of 14.9 million voters are eligible for voting. Candidates will contest 222 parliamentary seats and 505 state seats, including all states except the eastern Borneo state of Sarawak, which conducted its state election in 2017.