The lure of living large for less has drawn more Singaporeans to Johor. -TNP
Zul Othman
Tue, Jul 10, 2012
The New Paper
Despite news of Singaporeans being victims of crime in Johor, more are snapping up houses for less than half of what they would cost here.
Even a daily commute to work or faraway schools is not a deterrent - as long as they go home to a mansion.
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The lure of living large for less has drawn more Singaporeans to Johor.
About 5,000 Singaporeans now call Johor home, estimates the Johor-Singapore Community Care Association, a newly formed group that aims to champion the interests of Singaporeans living across the Causeway.
Mr Stephen Santhanaraj, 65, moved to East Ledang estate in Nusajaya, located west of Johor Baru, four months ago after he sold the family's 1,600 sq ft semi-detached house in Sembawang Park.
He declined reveal how much he sold it for.
For now, he and his wife, Madam Patricia Prathibha, who is in her 40s, call a rented two-storey, four-bedroom corner terrace house in the gated community home.
But soon, the couple will move into a five-bedroom, 6,500 sq ft bungalow in the same area, bought for RM1.3 million ($521,000).
They are part of the influx of Singaporeans after the Iskandar Malaysia project - which aims to make Johor into an economic powerhouse - was mooted six years ago, said two property agents here.
They had previously been contracted by Malaysian developers to market the homes to Singaporeans.
"I see more Singaporeans buying houses in Johor Baru compared to five years ago," says Mr Anuar Mohd Saad, 48, a sales manager with Broswell Property Consultant.
"Previously, many Singaporeans were not keen to buy homes in Johor Baru because of the perceived crime situation and property resale value."
But the Iskandar project seems to have changed perceptions about the state, said Mr Anuar.
Now, more Singaporean families have gone to live in and commute from estates like East Ledang, Ledang Heights and Horizon Hills, all located within Nusajaya.
Prices for these big houses range from RM500,000 for a terrace house to RM1 million for a semi-detached one.
"These prices are attractive because those earning middle-class incomes can afford landed properties," says Mr Anuar.
But the main pull for these Singaporeans, observes Ms CharmianChelvam - a sales manager with property firm DTZ - is the fact that these estates are located just 20 minutes from the Tuas checkpoint.
She says: "The developments in Nusajaya area are also different from most of the homes in Johor Baru.
"The quality of the houses are good and the security systems are sufficiently effective, and because of this, more Singaporeans are looking to buy property in the area."
Mr Santhanaraj is also comforted by the fact that of all the foreigners in his estate, 80 per cent are Singaporeans.
"To be honest, having Singaporeans around was not a consideration when I bought a house here," said the management consultant at Shepherd's Sphere.
"But (now) the added bonus is that I have at least four other Singaporean families living on my street and all of us are very close," said Mr Santhanaraj.
He and his wife, who have been married for 14 years, have no children and they share their home with his 83-year-old mother.
Access to Singapore is never a problem, he says.
"It takes me about an hour to drive to my office in Kay Siang Road, so my new home is not really as far as people think it is."
But he is quick to point out that he has not abandoned Singapore.
"I volunteer with the Sembawang GRC grassroots, so my life is still in Singapore," he says with a smile.
Kids can't wait to go home to JB
It's the best decision he and his family evermade.
Mr Hussain Sayeed, 49, an assistant account director with Hewlett-Packard in Singapore, bought a four-bedroom, 4,200 sq ft semi-detached house in East Ledang, Nusajaya, in west Johor , for RM1.7 million (S$680,000) recently.
For the last five months, his family has been living in a rented four-bedroom, 2,600 sq ft terrace house there for RM5,000 a month.
"We wanted to try out living here and I am just happy with the quality of life here - life moves slowly and the open spaces are something my children enjoy," he said.
The family still has a condominium unit in Pasir Ris, which has been rented out for $3,000 a month.
"I don't feel life in Nusajaya is any different from life in Singapore," said Mr Hussain, who shares the home with wife Sharmin Sayeed, 40, and two children, both of whom are studying in Singapore.
"I moved to Nusajaya because I can get a bigger space for less money as it is cheaper than landed property in Singapore."
"It is not exactly cheap, but it is the quality of life that attracts me." he adds.
His family, he says, loves their new surroundings.
"My children love it here and can't wait to get home every day," says Mr Hussain, a Bangladeshi who came to Singapore in 1989 and became a Singapore citizen in 1997.
He said that neither he nor his children mind the hour-long commute to Singapore each day.
Being surrounded by neighbours who are Singaporeans and expatriates who work in Singapore is also very comforting, he says.
Mr Hussain says: "The cost of living here is lower and that is another bonus, but being surrounded by Singaporeans, I also feel right at home."
S'poreans form JB group
Some Singaporeans living in Johor Baru have formed the Johor-Singapore Community Care Association (JSCA).
Started earlier this year, it is headed by former People's Action Party Member of Parliament Wan Hussin Zoohri.
The association, which is registered in Johor, is starting its membership drive.
Out of the 200 or so applications it has received so far, "five to 10per cent are from Singaporeans," says Mr Wan Hussin.
Membership costs RM100 (S$40) a year.
Besides organising social events for Singaporeans living in Johor, the JSCA also plans to speak on their behalf in case of emergencies, says Mr Wan Hussin.
"Many of the Singaporeans living in Johor are happy where they are. They also know that crime, while unexpected, is also not rampant," he says.
"One of our objectives, however, is to act as a voice, to speak to the authorities there whenever there are security concerns."
Those interested in joining the association can e-mail contact@johor-singapore.com
Unfazed by car break-in
Mr Fahmi Rais, 45, who lives closer to Johor Baru, is not worried about crime.
His 4,000 sq ft home - which he bought 18 months ago for RM550,000 - sits in the suburb of Taman Daya, a 20-minute drive from the Woodlands checkpoint.
The managing director of communications company Raistar Media sold his condominium unit in Geylang for $820,000 last year after his family fell in love with the Taman Daya house.
He now lives in the sprawling Johor house with wife Sulaimah Abdul Kadir, 36, and their four children, three of whom are studying in schools in the eastern part of Singapore.
Commuting to Singapore each day is not a problem for the family, he says.
Says Mr Fahmi, who was the vice-president of Malay TV channel Suria until 2007: "I love my home, even if my place is not guarded or gated."
He says: "We have alarm systems installed so I can sleep in peace but my car was broken into recently."
Still, he adds: "Honestly, I have only myself to blame for that break-in because I parked my car outside my house.
"As long you don't create an environment for criminals, you don't have to worry about living here."
At a press conference on Sunday, Johor police chief Deputy Commissioner Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff told reporters that in the first half of this year, there were 216 crime cases committed against Singaporeans.
Last year, there were 400 such cases, he added.
But he pointed out that there are about 2 million Singaporean visitors to Johor Baru each month and these cases affected only a small fraction of the visitors.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
