Peer pressure on long working hours

A friend told me this story. A Malaysian applied for a job in a bank in Singapore. He asked the HR manager, "If I finish my work, can I go home on time". The HR manager replied "yes".

It was a different situation after he started work. Many colleagues stayed in the office till late at night, even if they do not have work to do. It was peer pressure. When he leave work earlier, he heard negative comments from the colleagues.

This seemed to be the work pattern in Singapore. It is fashionable to work long hours. I wonder if this is true in other workplaces, or just in banks?