No damper on Johor jaunts ... yet - Singapore's Online Community

**Ican** · 05-02-2007, 04:29 PM

It would appear that neither natural calamity nor atrocities committed by criminals will deter Singaporeans from engaging in one of their favourite activities: Hopping over to Johor Baru for food, shopping and petrol on the cheap.

Even a shopper whose car window was smashed and her car radio stolen while she was hunting for bargains in a bazaar remains unfazed.

After all, for less than RM100 ($43.80), she could have a good meal and buy petrol and other essentials, Madam Yati, as she chose to be identified, told TODAY.

And on Sunday, two weeks before the Chinese New Year, Singaporeans crossed the Causeway in droves, as usual.

Many interviewed in Johor Baru said their trips have not been affected by the recent floods or reports of Singaporeans falling victim to violent crimes.

But a proposed RM20 entry levy on foreign vehicles might just prove to be the tipping point.

“What will we get for paying that levy?” asked Mdm Yati’s husband, Singaporean Mr Abu.

“If it means that we will be able to shop without fear, then we’d have no problem paying it. But if it just means paying extra, then we’d rather shop in Singapore and pay the higher GST,” Mdm Yati said, referring to the impending rise in goods and services tax in Singapore.

Car dealer Chan Chiew Huan, 42, who had lunch with his wife and three children at Holiday Plaza — a shopping mall popular with Singaporeans — agreed. “Unless you are doing business or are going further north into Malaysia, it doesn’t seem worthwhile to pay the levy if you are just going to Johor Baru and staying there for less than a day,” he said.

But 28-year-old banker Sunil Ng, a regular visitor to Malaysia, believes that the levy could turn out to be another measure that Singaporeans will get used to.

“RM20 is not really a lot of money compared to what Singaporeans usually spend. I think people will probably find over time that they will still save more by shopping and buying petrol in Malaysia,” he said.

While Malaysian Tourism Minister Adnan Mansor, who was in Singapore for a regional tourism forum last week, admitted that he was not aware when the levy would be implemented, he felt that RM20 was a small sum which would not bother most Singaporeans too much.

The recent floods which have forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 Johor residents did not affect the main shopping malls in Johor Baru, where, for many Singaporeans, the bargains are too good to resist.

“The value-for-money aspect is still a big draw for many people. You may worry about crime but the situation has improved and you see more security guards now,” said Mdm Yati, who had just finished shopping at the popular hypermart Giant with her family when she spoke to TODAY.

Indeed, many other Singaporeans appeared to share Mdm Yati’s bargain-hunting sentiments with the Lunar New Year approaching.

Singapore-registered vehicles packed the car parks of shopping malls such as Holiday Plaza, while Singaporean shoppers were seen exiting pushing trolleys filled with household items and bundles of peach blossoms.

Many shopping centres — decked out in Chinese New Year decorations — attracted Singaporeans who have begun stocking up on eggrolls and other goodies for the seasonal festivities.

“As with previous years, we will probably see more customers as Chinese New Year approaches,” said 42-year-old shop executive Winnie Cheng, a sales executive at FOS, a clothing store in Johor Bahru City Square.

According to Mr Freddie Long, the state’s Tourism and Environment Committee chairman, the influx of Singaporeans — the largest group of visitors at 240,000 daily — has not dipped.

But Malaysian retailers are keeping their fingers crossed over the impact of the proposed levy on their businesses.

“(If Singaporean shoppers feel RM20 is a small price to pay), I don’t think the levy will affect businesses by a lot,” said Mr Rashid Adam, deputy president of the Malaysian Retailers Association.