Johor businesses wait eagerly for cash-rich Singaporeans to shop after border reopens
JOHOR BAHRU - Bruised by a two-year border closure, small businesses in the southern state have seen the darkest of times as cash-rich Singaporeans were no longer doing groceries, filling up gas tanks or indulging in entertainment.
For bundle store owners who only wish to be known as Abdul Salleh, the co-owner of several bundle stores in Northern Johor such as Muar and Batu Pahat, he is happy for the border to finally reopen on April 1.
“For my business, while we count on domestic buyers, it's Singaporeans who make the bulk of our sales prior to Covid-19, especially on designer clothes that we purchase. They often buy in a bundle to be resell at their platform.
“They largely count for nearly 50 percent of my sales prior to Covid-19 and I think that the is the reality for most major businesses here who rely heavily on Singaporean tourists to push sales,’’ he said to Sinar Daily when met in Batu Pahat.
Abdul Salleh also revealed that Batu Pahat is slowly becoming a favourite location for Singaporeans to retire and build their businesses such as opening restaurants or cafes. There have also been commercial centres in the town built to largely cater to Singaporean tourists and retirees, said Abdul Salleh.
It has been widely reported that the border closure has affected income of some 200,000 Malaysians who commute to Singapore to work daily, this saw a hike in unemployment and fewer foreign investors.
On March 8, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced Malaysia will reopen its borders on April 1 as it seeks to revive the country's economy, especially the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the Covid 19 pandemic.
Similar sentiments were also shared by CW Ooi, 47 who runs a seafood restaurant in Muar. Dubbed as Bandar Maharani, Muar is a popular destination spot among Singaporeans looking for a quick escape.
While Ooi is glad over the reopening of borders, businesses are slowly gaining momentum and Singaporean tourists would definitely be a massive boon to local eateries in the city.
“Things have picked up considerably in the last few months after MCO ended but it is still slow even on the weekends.
“My shop can easily RM6,000 to RM10,000 a day in the weekends before Covid-19, now I’m lucky to even get half of that.
"Definitely, with the border being closed, businesses here have to make do but everyone is hoping for the same thing, for the border to reopen.
“The past two years have been tough on all of us. Hopefully, there can be some good news after the election concluded. At the end of the day, people just want stability to survive,’’ he said.
While major business huddle around southern Johor, northern and central Johor still lacks major development and businesses here mainly serves the agriculture or manufacturing sector.
For mixed planters and farmers such as Mohd Nasrullah Rashid, 41, he wishes that more emphasis is given to the agricultural sector in the state.
"While the potential for Johor to produce large exports such pineapples and vegetables, more needs to be done to promote these products.
"Of course there are farmers and planters such as myself who engage in agritourism, bringing in tourists for tours conducting homestays and are highly dependent on foreign tourists. Definitely, we would be glad if our national borders are open, especially with Singapore,'' he said.
