Chief minister says Singaporean tourists in JB partly caused inflation in food & housing prices
Johor Chief Minister (MB) Onn Hafiz Ghazi has stated that inflation has become a greater burden to locals in Johor Bahru (JB) than in the rest of Malaysia.
Part of the reason for this, he said, is the influx of Singaporean tourists who go to JB to do their grocery shopping every weekend.
In a speech at the 79th annual general meeting of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) on Sunday (13 July), he said:
Thousands of Singaporeans cross the Causeway, especially on weekends, to do their grocery shopping here, and we are seeing food and rental prices going up.
Source: Acccim 中总 on Facebook
Influx of tourists leads to rising cost of food & housing
To illustrate the rising cost of living in the state, MB Onn Hafiz pointed out that the price of food in Johor is more expensive than in the country’s capital, Kuala Lumpur.
“For example, a plate of nasi lemak with fried chicken here is around RM9 (S$2.71), while the same dish in Kuala Lumpur costs only RM7 (S$2.11),” he explained.
Additionally, while properties in Johor have been “selling like hotcakes”, with one housing project developer reportedly selling out 300 units, the chief minister also said property prices have become “either rising or already higher than some in Singapore”.
“We need to develop more affordable housing so that locals still have a chance to own a home,” he stressed, as reported by The Star.
Johor state government to address inflation
MB Onn Hafiz plans to focus on addressing inflation in Johor so it could reach a developed status by 2030.
As such, he called on the business sector to work with the state government to address these issues and ease the burden on Johor citizens.
He added that Johor is often compared to its neighbour, Singapore, but he said that their goals are not for competition but to achieve complementary results.
“We are ready to collaborate with you hand in hand to ensure that this is not a zero-sum game but a win-win situation for everyone, especially the people of Johor,” he said to the attendees.
Also read: JB still attractive to S’poreans, 55% of people polled would move in light of rising costs
JB still attractive to S’poreans, 55% of people polled would move in light of rising costs
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Featured image adapted from Kosmo and kokkai on Canva. Right image for illustrative purposes only.
