On a tight budget: To save money, Thivakaran, who works in Singapore as a security guard, often cooks his own meals in his room, consisting of simple dishes such as fried rice or instant noodles. — THOMAS YONG/ The Star
JOHOR BARU: The room isn’t equipped with much – a ceiling fan, fluorescent light and a thin mattress – yet the asking rent is RM700.
This is what tenants like R. Thivakaran, who works in Singapore as a security guard, is paying for each month.
The 25-year-old from Pahang said his room was one of many in a terrace house located less than 2km away from the Causeway here, which makes it convenient for him to ride his motorcycle across the border daily for work.
“The strategic location also makes the rental quite ‘normal’ for the area.
“The close vicinity to the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complex makes it an attractive place to stay for Malaysians working in Singapore.
“When I first enquired about the room, I was surprised by the rate but the landlord told me to take it or leave it as there were many others waiting to rent,” he said.
He complained that the businesses in the area also took the opportunity to hike up their prices “knowing that the tenants are earning Singapore dollars”.
“I once took rice and a chicken dish at a mixed rice stall near my rented room and I was shocked when the bill came up to RM14.
“The waiter told me that I can afford it as I work across the border, but I feel they are taking advantage of our hard earned money.
“I work from 7pm to 7am daily; I leave Johor Baru before 4pm and only reach home the next day at around 11.30am as I have to endure the traffic congestion.
“This is all just so I can earn enough money to take care of my elderly father and younger siblings back in Pahang. By the end of the month, I have very little set aside,” said Thivakaran, who hoped to get married and buy a house some day
To stretch the ringgit, he often cooked simple meals such as fried rice or instant noodles in his room.
Another tenant, who only wanted to be known as Tan, 36, said the rent for his small room in Taman Pelangi had gone up by RM100 to RM600 after the border restrictions were lifted.
“I have been working in Singapore for the past 10 years, and I had to stop for a few years when the borders closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“After that, the rental increased due to the high demand as more people are getting jobs in Singapore again.
“I am worried that the rent will go up once the surrounding developments are completed, such as the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System,” he said.
The border between the two countries was closed from March 18, 2020, to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and reopened on April 1, 2022.
Areas in Johor Baru such as downtown Johor Baru, Tanjung Puteri, Taman Pelangi, Taman Abad and Larkin are popular places to stay for those commuting to Singapore as they are relatively near the CIQ.
It is common to see houses displaying “for rent” signage outside.
Other locations such as Iskandar Puteri, Bukit Indah, Gelang Patah and Skudai are also high in demand for those who enter Singapore via the Second Link near Tanjung Kupang.
When The Star called one of the advertised numbers, a man who picked up the call said he had 10 properties with about 10 rooms each, which are almost fully occupied.
“During the pandemic, I lost many tenants as their income was affected. After the borders reopened, I received at least 30% more enquiries and bookings,” added the person who declined to be identified.
“I have also increased the rental by about 20% compared to before because of the surrounding developments and the rise in cost of living.
“It is only natural that I increase the rent too and the tenants are paying for good location and convenience.”
