Johor’s leader Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has commented on the exorbitant cost of housing in Singapore, saying it is beyond the grasp of ordinary Singaporeans.
He emphatised with Singapore’s middle-class, which he says is feeling the squeeze of rising prices.
Sultan Ibrahim also said that more Singaporeans will find themselves living across the Causeway, while working in Singapore.
“The future is in Johor because Singaporeans, not just Chinese, will be buying homes in Johor.
Homes are already beyond the reach of ordinary Singaporeans over there.
It is a political issue when the middle-class find themselves squeezed. Even in Malaysia, with its abundance of land, the young are finding it difficult to own a home, especially in the Klang Valley and Penang.
Once the links are in place, it will become the norm for Singaporeans to live in Johor and work in Singapore. That is the future.”
Sultan Ibrahim also issued a veiled challenge that Johor intends to contest Singapore for future land space.
He said that Singapore has been aggressively reclaiming land, and Johor must do the same.
“Singapore has reclaimed over 70sq km of land from 1960 to the present day, I am told.
According to one report, by 1990 the total land area of Singapore was 633sq km. This was an increase of 51.5sq km, which made up 8.9 per cent of the total land area. With continuing land reclamation, Singapore’s land area will increase by about another 100sq km by the year 2030.
I don’t know if these figures are accurate but it is a fact that the shape of Singapore has changed because of aggressive and systematic reclamation. To put it bluntly, and you know that I am a straight-talking person, if Johor does not carry out reclamation, Singapore will and it has been doing so.
Why is it that no one talks about Singapore doing this landfilling work? Why is Johor being singled out? Johor has to do this because it is strategically necessary.”
Sultan Ibrahim was speaking in an interview with Malaysian newspaper, The Star, from his new home which overlooks Singapore.
The interview comes ahead of his coronation on 23 March.
Rhazaly Noentil
February 24, 2016 at 4:57 pm
Due respect to Your Highness.
As a blue Singaporean, I beg to differ. Housing is within reach of ordinary Singaporeans as long as they dont follow the Johnesses. Live with your means and they should be okay.
This is the only country in the world where newly-wed couples can get their own homes within three years after.marriage. you buy your new home according to what you have in CPF. if you.purchase beyond your neans then it is your fault.
In marketing Johore properties, Your Highness forget to mention the hassles of travelling between Singapore and Johore, not mentioning the security aspect.
Johore is a lovely but Singapore is a better one
Hairi
March 22, 2018 at 7:03 pm
Agreed and spot on! As a Singaporean myself, living within my means has helped my family moved forward happily. Nobody suffers unless if that person is expecting the ruling party to accommodate his/her excessive indulgence in spending. Living in foreign land which we are unaware of the safety issues is a gamble. I would never compromise that. Just my 2 cents worth.. 😊
Rhazaly Noentil
February 24, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Due respect to Your Highness.
As a blue Singaporean I beg to differ. Singaporeans can afford their own as long as they dont follow the Jonesses. With their CPF money they can own HDB flat within three years after.marriage. They can ipgrade as long they have the means. These properties appreciate faster than those.in Johore.
In marketing Johore, your Hoghness forget to mention the hassles of travelling between Singapore and Johore, not mentioning the security aspect.
Singapore is still the best for me as a blue Singaporean. It’s peacefull, clean and well-organised. Seniir citizens get
Shig
February 25, 2016 at 9:47 am
Meh. Solve your own social problems first, Sultan of Johor, before you come here to complain.
Your public and private housing developments aren’t even a safe investment, let alone safe housing for residents.
sinijbbest
February 25, 2016 at 4:58 pm
If the houses here in JB not capped as rm 1million and above for foreigners to buy, future VEP rm 20 for every entry in to JB not implemented and also to improvise the cause jam situation. I can say more Singaporeans will be buying house here in JB…..currently most of the Singaporeans left JB due to this problem and the cost and time consumed almost breakeven.
Prem Singh
February 26, 2016 at 3:37 pm
Your Royalness
Please solve your crime rate. Johor has fast become a cowboy town.
Robert Lee
February 27, 2016 at 3:05 pm
His Highness has raised an important point for us to take action now before 25 years down the road. In 25 years time, all those who have purchased condo units will be millionaires once they fully pay up their housing loan. In order not to lose money, these outskirts condo need to sell for at least two million dollars to cover interest paid to bank loan and compound interest from CPF money that were taken out to service their bank loan. Now public housing in some locality is already costing half a million and prices will continually move up because Singaporean are biting their two cherries to extract easy money(from housing subsidies). Would you be reinvesting these easy profit in Singapore? I doubt so when you can buy three or four properties in Johore under the current exchange rate; you could only buy one property in Singapore. The conditions are ripe now for his Highness to transform His state Johore, socially, culturally, educationally, economically etc into the future.
RenaSerena
April 21, 2016 at 10:09 am
Ampon Tuanku…Beribu2 Ampon…,
Saya adalah rakyat singapura…saya amat kagum dengan Tuanku mengambil berat ttg rakyat Tuanku… .
Dan saya juga setuju dengan apa yg Tuanku cadangankan supaya Johor dan Singapore menjadi satu negara yg erat siratulrahim dan Aman Damai… Aamiin…Yra…Tuanku adalah Idola saya..dan teringin sangat2 saya berjumpa dgn Tuanku..kerana Tuanku sangat berendah diri dan suka bertemu rakyat Tuanku…saya sangat2 kagum pada Tuanku.
Kepada Rakyat Johor semua kamu sangat beruntung sekali mempunyai Sultan yg mengambil berat ttg Rakyat.:-):-):-)
DAULAT TUANKU…
Jason King
March 21, 2018 at 10:07 pm
bodek tak agak² siak.