Since the Singapore-Malaysia border reopened, the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints have been packed with border crossers.
Many of them are Singaporeans going to Johor Bahru for cheap sojourns, and it seems the restaurants and coffee shops are responding by raising prices.
Source: Google Maps
However, this hasn’t stopped the Singaporean visitors, who are still coming in their hordes especially during weekends.
The prices at several restaurants and coffee shops around JB have gone up since the border reopening, reported Malaysia’s The Star newspaper.
While the cost of some dishes and drinks went up by just a few sen, others have increased by more than S$0.31 (RM1), they found.
Eateries in the city area also generally had greater hikes than those farther away.
The Star spoke to Hiap Joo Bakery, a 103-year-old JB establishment famous for its banana cakes and buns.
They said one pack of banana cake now goes for S$3.73 (RM12) — up S$0.62 (RM2) from their original price of S$3.10 (RM10) that it went for earlier this year.
Source: Google Maps
Explaining the hike, proprietor Lim Toh Huei said bananas and other ingredients like flour have increased in price.
However, the higher sale prices haven’t affected his business.
The bakery is still packed with Singaporeans, he said, especially on weekends.
Source: Google Maps
Over at Danga Bay, prices of drinks have gone up by S$0.06 to S$0.09 (20 sen to 30 sen) at a restaurant there.
The prices of food, though, have increased by S$0.16 to S$0.31 (50 sen to RM1).
Source: Google Maps
Restaurant owner Charmaine Tan cited the increase in the prices of raw materials for the hike, which was introduced in January.
This is also explained in a sign next to the cashier.
She has no more plans to increase prices for now, she told The Star, despite earning lower profit.
That’s because she feared another increase may turn off her customers.
At the moment, the restaurant still can cover costs, she added.
Mr Md Salleh Sadijo, president of the Johor Consumer Movement Association, claimed the cost of living increase was being used as an excuse for some businesses to raise prices.
This is especially true for those that are in the city, he said, accusing these restaurants of “profiteering from the situation”.
They can do this as they know that Singaporean customers won’t be deterred, he told The Star, adding,
The steep increase in the price of food will not cause much impact to Singaporeans as they have a stronger currency. It will still be cheap for them.
Indeed, thanks to our strong Singapore dollar, which last week hit another new high against the ringgit, the increases in JB will likely not affect us too much.
However, Mr Md Salleh Sadijo said this situation was unfair to JB locals.
The price increases are “a huge burden” to them, he added, calling upon the local government to do something about it.
Mr Tiong Kiu Wong, chairman of the JB Coffee, Restaurant and Bar Operators Association, urged businesses not to increase their prices too much.
Acknowledging the burden on businesses due to higher costs and rental, he said they can’t be prevented from hiking their prices, he told The Star.
However, an increase of more than S$0.31 (RM1) will be a “burden to customers”, he added.
Singaporeans are fortunate that our currency buffers us against any price increases in JB.
After all, no matter how much they raise prices, they can’t be more expensive across the Causeway than the sky-high prices we have to deal with in Singapore.
For the JB locals’ sake, though, let’s hope the cost of living in JB remains affordable.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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