To work in Singapore or not? The dilemma behind Johor's brain drain 

I used to work as an engineer in Malaysia with a salary of RM3,500. By Malaysia standard that would be enough for a decent living. But thing got bad & I was retrenched. I tried my luck in Singapore and was able to secure a job with a salary of S$4,500. To make the most of the currency exchange, I decided to rent in JB and travel daily to work. Waking up as early as 4am, reaching back home as late as 9pm are normal now. Is it worth it? Probably not, but a S$4,500 is RM15,xxx now. I could work for 5 years and buy a house without having to make any loan. I could purchase a brand new Myvi in cash with just 2 year savings.

If you have job in Singapore, endure for a while. When the Woodland to JB MRT is ready, things will change for better.

You don’t remove the bumi privilege nothings gonna change

I am singaporean , and I agree with miss Salima , if you're ok with your salary , it's best to spend good quality time with your family .

Welcome our brothers and sisters to work here. Who doesn't want a better life for themselves and their families? I think Malaysia and Singapore should work towards improving the commute both ways so that both Johor Bahru and Singapore can "huat" together.

I laugh when I read about Malaysia complaining about brain drain. In the first place, the brain drain won't have occurred if you had given the non-Malays equal opportunity. In fact, on social media the Malays telling the non-Malays to leave the country and go migrate somewhere else. I don't understand. You tell them leave and you complain there is a 'brain drain'? Why you worry? You already spend so much giving the Malays a good university education. And they are all staying put in the country, so there should not be any brain drain.

We welcome our Malaysian Brothers n Sisters. Its all about understanding planning what’s best for you and your families.

It all comes back to the two countries that have a vast difference gap in economy status. Singapore is a highly developed nation, and Malaysia is a developing country. There are disparities between them that affect the well-being of Malaysians and disadvantages.

Your university still have quota system and rules made by previous government that makes people hard to do business, so, hardworking type of people sure go singapore, why earn RM when you can earn SGD, correct? this country will go down to the drain whoever the government is.

With modern technology (facial or iris recognition is already being used at broder crossings all over the world)), border crossing between JB and Singapore can be speeded up significantly. I don't understand why the Malaysia- Singapore govts don't get together to build commuter rails lines that run all the way into the city. Immigration clearance should be done at the train station. This is how it is done in at the Sweden-Denmark border- 100,000 Swedes cross the border into Denmark everyday to work. Super smooth - no traffic congestion. Singapore and Malaysia are so backward in this regard.

Employers/companies in Johor should pay better (Health is more important over long term) or they can go to other Malaysian cities also i.e. KL, Penang

The SG-JB RTS and the JB-Gemas EDTP will be game-changers when they are operational. And by the time these train services are fully operational and functional (3-4 years), AI would have advanced to levels we cannot even imagine now (generative AI and autonomous agents on your mobile phone, and robots controlled by AI). Liew Chin Tong and other officials may want to think about that, and instead simply execute the competent corruption-free planning, governance and maintenance of public infrastructure, safety and services in Greater JB or JB Metropolitan Region (or whatever it will be called then). The business models and people exchanges between Singapore and Johor will sort itself out :)

Speaking of Malaysian nurses working in SG can any nurse verify if this is true? A Malaysian nurse in a polyclinic once told me that after working 5 years as a nurse in SG she automatic becomes a Sr nurse if she returns back to MY and work as a nurse.🤔

Thats ok .. thanks for.all your time and your service......millions.of talented amd.millions of hardworking people all around the world to have a good relation we.gave them and open.door but one min see what they are asking .. CONSIDER TO WORK ...IF IN THAT CASE WHY NOT GOVERNMENT GAVE US SINGAPOREAN ALL THIS BENEFITS AND MANY WILL.COME ...WE CANT FOLLOW THEIR.POLICY BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT VALUE OR.DOLLAR .

Do not trade your life without proper sleep wasting time on commuting. What you earn in Singapore would end up as your future medical fees.

That currency difference rate is both a blessing and a curse all at the same time. Don't know how to solve and balance it out to made people from both sides to live without making compromises on themselves.

At almost 3.5 now… it’s really a tough decision

M'sia should request those ministers and gov officers to experience the queue

Every time at checkpoint where jam? Sg or My ? If Malaysia govt can help build the sg to my train faster, many can go home faster also.

Exchange rate is really good now!! Work in sg Bring big thick bacon back to Johor Malaysia!! Sg always benefit other countries and overlook own sg people

🙏 Observed with the higher room rentals & companies following certain bad human resource management like hiring contracted workers through middlemen employment agencies to cut cost in Singapore that only benefitted more to the employers , Malaysians must be prepared to endured lack of sleep , uncertain work assignments or schedules & traffic jams at immigration checkpoints to work in Singapore nowadays ... Many foreign factories in Singapore already relocated to lower cost of production site to Vietnam , Thailand , Indonesia , India & Malaysia ... So Singapore is becoming a Research & Design Hub for companies which demanded higher skill sets to qualify to work ... Hospitality , Security & Healthcare sectors maybe still hiring in limited quantity in Singapore post Covid-19 Global Pandemic! 🙏🌏🕊🇸🇬🇲🇾

Alots of comments below.. Lets the nature flow and take its course Nothing is perfect Things evolves.. Good luck to all Malaysian who undertake thier daily work task in anywhere around the world. Including me.. ❤

End up,I believe they still prefer to work in Singapore,in fact,just a normal job here,salary also more than Rm10k!

The skillset requirement is the same between msia and singapore , and diff is 3.5 timrs salary and travel time. The msia will fail to retent talent, as msia is racism, corruption but a good place for spending when u are rich if u are businessman, trader or salesperson.

Malaysia is doing to catch-up game. But, Malaysians are pragmatic people too. So, unless Malaysia can match Singapore in terms of pay, benefits, learning opportunities and career progression, Malaysia will always experience an outflow of manpower to Singapore. Can the state or federal government create jobs like paying security guards RM7,000 per month? Or nurses earning at least RM10,000 per month? Or doctors earning RM17,000 per month upwards. Soon, the Gini Coefficient of Johor Bahru will be differentiated. Those who come to work in Singapore and those who do not (not withstanding those who run business which is a different category) will be highly contrasted in wealth accumulation and creation. Properties will be swiped up by those who worked in Singapore after a a few years. They will have sufficiently savings to buy properties. Those who continue to stay put at home will grouse about the rising cost of living and felt losing out.

Interesting. Singapore has a free trade agreement with Malaysia. If I was a Singapore or foreign company, I would set up operations in JB. Lower costs and close to Singapore. Singapore only exists for international trade at a very high cost. JB could become like Shanghai vs Hong Kong. Needs some smart leaders.

Once the mrt line is completed both Singapore and Johore better form into a special division zone and merge into a unified space instead. The population and the pull of that entire place will cause sinkapore to burst and south Johor to be crippled. And dont just sit around doing nothing while the crowds grow out of control. Build and expand that damn causeway bridge. It have remain unchanged since colonial days. It cant cope with today situation anymore. Run away from this region if you are not short of money in life because life is going to be very dense and hectic there for a very long time to come. You dont need to suffer in it if you are not in shortage of money. Thailand will also finally cut her country into half to build a canal of its own after seeing the economy activities and bustle going on in sg and jb and want to copy and take it away.

Ya Crossing causeway Not enough sleep Then become so rude to customers and also Didn't observe personal hygiene!! No time to wash their work uniform!!

*Pity all this commuters*

These Johoreans need to thankful to a robust and strong Singapore economies and S$ for them to work in Singapore. Unlike their local Malaysians in other states that needs 1 hours distance driving and also the neighbouring compatriots such as Pinoys or Myanmar ~ Johoreans get to go home everyday to see their families. Johoreans are the privileged lots who can earn S$ and spend RM.

Those Malaysians who worked here the same salary as our local breed seniors Malaysian are laughing all the way to the bank n build big landed house whereas our Singaporean seniors here are working to make ends meet worst some are working to pay medical bills n support their " nice " looking small n cramped h d b unit that paid for life no more money left thats why they have to keep working till they drop dead worst their whole-life hard-earned c p f money are not return sooner thats why they have to work n work to support for their expenses .overall Malaysians who commute daily to this small island are blessed in disguise better than local Singaporean.just calculate the exchange rate who are better off .

*Dont be greedy when comes to earning cos in the end you will lose more*

I love going into malaysia and malaysians are very friendly and warm. They are less stressed compared to Singaporeans here.

If Malaysia government can learn from Singapore, no one willing to wake up early go Singapore work.

May I know what is the actual meaning of brain drain ?

Future is in Malaysia, lots of company moving to Malaysia.. i dont think Malaysian will work in Singapore anymore..

Why got so many bangla ,pakistan,rohingya,syrian workers in johor and now got additionals thailand and indonesia workers

All these problems would not have surface, should the HSR project been completed so everyone can have time to spend with family in Malaysia and earn high salary in Singapore

I am a Johorean and I got an offer of 7000-8000 because of my experience. But I really don’t want to sacrifice my sleep and commute like this every single day for the next 30 years. So I guess I will settle working in JB.

Malaysia can work on getting more FDIs to raise wages and to create good jobs, but it can never keep up with Singapore in terms of wage growth and currency exchange differential. As a result, there will always be Malaysians wanting to working Singapore.

1. The advantage lies only in the currency of 3.5x. Wage as low as $2K in Singapore will be more than 3 times bigger if we stay in JB and must be willing to commute everyday through the hustle and bustle of the causeway. 2. But if they want to avoid the hassle of the causeway, they must rent a room in Singapore and the current price is almost $2K. That means they must earn approximately $4.5K and above .

Also indo. Near 1000 people moved their citizenship to singapore. 😊

There is a countries economies involved.

To correct the brain drain problem in JB is to invite foreign investors to set factories with generous incentives and training subsidies to provide jobs to JB citizens. This is how SIN can attain today's economic advancement. JB can borrow the same policy as SIN.

Mostly they came here to work as cleaner, F&B bus driver and sale assistant

It's like the same issue with the USA & Mexico. Not unique only to Singapore and Malaysia

BY THE WAY... LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRI...PLS REVISIT HSR PLOJECT LAAA...WHY NOT...

You are wasting a good 4 hours a day at least just to travel. That is never worth it.

Very good point, work in singapore really hard life’s. Hopefully 🤞 Malaysia Government Do Better for Malaysian People going abroad leave love one behind ❤

Attract Singaporeans to work in Malaysia then, using whatever incentive you can think of.

Many of my Malaysian colleague took up PR and later citizenship.

Johor Baru to woodland should have cable cars for Malaysian workers working in Singapore to return home daily to cut living cost in Singapore.

There are over 500,000 PRs in Singapore. How many of them have been PRs for over 20 years? This is the dual-citizenship scheme by the government of Singapore. Bought your lands already? Built your bungalows already? Bought your shophouses already? Started your restaurants already? Started to enjoy rental incomes in your motherland already? Ha ha ha!

Do the daily commute when you are young and energetic. Just endure for ten plus years, save enough to buy two or three properties in JB with housing loan, rent out and be landlord. When the rentals can cover the housing loans, no need to work in Singapore anymore. Can take it easier and work in JB.

Bkn die tahan kak,die mmg nk pon..kak tgk cosway tu dade jawapan die da kak...

Stay in Singapore so expensive. It's can eat half of the salary. It is not worth working there.

this is all because $1 can get rm3.50

Bangun pukul 3, mak ooi.

Many have died trying to cross the causeway as lack of sleep

The commute kills! It is becoming hotter and horrible day by day. Cost of living in Singapore is also too much. A meal can cost $10.

😊

Brain drain ? No Government can stop and determine the so-called Brain drain. Good Government can attract the so called Good brain to work in their Country. If her Hometown can offer her the same Job with the same good income like she can get in Singapore. Then she is strongly encourage to work in her Hometown to find and do the same Job. This is ALL about better Income with better working Environment. Common Sense, Correct ? ? ? Her Life, she can decide for herself. 🎉

So easy for Foreigners to work here ?! Singaporeans are being replaced ! VTO PAP , A Must !

Anytime 10 million indonesians are waiting to replace malaysian workers in singapore. At present their salary range from $180 to $450 per mth. When the indonesian workers are paid 3 to 5 mths more salary in s'pore, the malaysian government will have an immediate loss of a huge revenue flowing into their country. Indonesians are waiting.

Work and rent a room in SG lor. Cost of living is higher but your savings will x3.

Tis is a Ownself ask then ownself answer interview n topic...

Inflation, debts and costs of renting/owning a home are a walkover for those who venture into extra sources of income and not depend on their salaries. I have earned over 100,000$ from my investments over the past few months; particularly real estate and digital currencies

Majority who stayed in johor because singapore doesnt want to hire them. Eg. Due to English proficiency etc etc

No need la to have talent Corp …brain drain can only be solved If The country implements fair Policy for its citizen

What’s the need to drain brain? Just match the salaries and everything else (tech-talent whatnot) will follow through naturally as a byproduct. This is a totally no brainer.

The problem is not the wages. Singapore and Johor salaries were just on par but the currency exchange made the difference. If only Singapore is far away from Malaysia, these brain drain issues would not happen. This kind of golden opportunity is only applicable for Johorean who can enjoy SGD and Malaysian subsidies (Malaysia is the top 5 countries in this world who spend a lot on subsidies). That's why the growing number of Malaysian workers in Sg are insane.

Those who has no objective in life to improve their earning will stay back

Few minutes ago a safety Malaysian approach me do not interfere - l am a SAFETY'S officer BRO YES BRO YOU ARE A GOOD SAFETY'S OFFICERS but there's a lot of safety officers for you are just a fire safety officer NOT A MEDICAL EXPERT safety officer so what .....

Singapore is open to Malaysians working in Singapore, we welcome foreigners to visit & work here.

As a johorean, i will say go lar 😂. If u put KL and Penang beside Singapore, they will have brain drain issue as well 😂.

One stupid minister commented that Singapore could be better if under malaysia rule, no comment pls,

saya pernah bekerja di SINGAP berbagai gudang dan logistik...dari pengalaman say yg dah bertahun tahun kerja di sana.orang orang SINGAPURA very good n koporatif..cuma yang jahat adalah orang oran MALAYSIA /PR kita sendiri.most ly bangsa cina dn india yang ada good /high post.

Mlysian currency need to equal like SGD.than mlysian people won't go to spore to work

Who needs prcs when we can have them. More collaboration with our neighbours is the way to go.

Just so you know, Johor didn't or don't know how to develop their own state well and rely too much on down south that's the problem. In fact, there were already Johoreans who prefer to leave Johor to work in SG as early as 90's period even when the currency exchange was about SGD$1 to RM2.2. So, in a way Johor and Johoreans created this problem themselves. This is a Johor problem mainly. KL, Penang are doing well.

Amazing. Whatever infrastructure that Singapore has, Malaysia actually also has. Location wise they are also just next to each other. BUT they are so very different and the income gap is monstrously huge. So, obviously it is not a problem of place or location or equipment. Its likely a problem of people and the country of Malaysia. Why is Malaysia so inferior? Maybe its better to bring PAS over into Johor Bahru to govern. That way we can see the differences much better and clearer.

We dont care contribute to our country. We care who paid the most with perks, while staying lower cost in malaysia

To work for x 3 the pay or not? What a dilemma. I should ask a friend 😂

Its not just Johor Bahru but the whole of Malaysia is in stagment. Its the 2023 but the government of Malaysia still thinks its 1990s.. Outdated policies, slow progress in constructions, unwilling to express to newer highs.. Rather have Sarawak and Sabah joint the Brunei then to see it remains stagment and in shabby states with Malaysia. Malaysia needs to up its game.

I remembered before pandemic try to enjoy my holidays in Malaysia 🇲🇾 guess what Singapore passport normal no queqe even just about 10 minutes But went comes to Johore causeway imagine took you more than 3 hours redeculous and sickening due to standing all the way no toilet if you are alone just to get your passport stamped that not included fighting shouting by east foreigners they felt too.....l can imagine SO WHAT ELSE YOU WANT FROM ME WOW ON YOURS MELAMPAU SANGAT dengan SULTAN ?

If you want XTRA CASH why not, if Malaysians dont come, the Spore will be flooded with banglas, indian mari, China, Viets etc etc and Malaysians are more friendly, good work ethics and more closer to us ie Singaporean in language, food, culture.

No brain drain, only semi skill - not professional like doctors lawyers super managers or dentists.

Malaysia means **Malaysians Ask Leaders Are You Stealing Income Assets "** , Above true. Who stole billioin,trilions ,waste billions on religion ,wastage etc . The money lost could have given Malaysian workers reasonable wages living wage etc . Please ask **Kutty Mama Mahathir** ,Malaysia ,s Former World class Kampong leader **.😮😮

The solution is RM must keep appreciating then rakyat will think otherwise

Many singaporean own johor property and go work in singapore daily because cost of leaving and some are rent out their singapore property and leave in malaysia...

Terpulang kerja apa kau buat...aku kerja kat airport...start shift pkul 5.30pagi..dalam pkul 3 aku dh siap2 bangun...pkul 2.30 petang aku dah kat rumah kat jb...aku tak hadap jem hari2..so aku happy dgn life aku skrng keje kat sg...pada yang kejar office hour sabtu halfday dan cuti sunday ...hadap la korang,pilihan masing2...tak mewah pun kerja singapore ni dengan kenaikan harga barang kat jb..tapi end of the year ada company bonus dgn bonus aws bulan 12...so berbaloi la semua tu

Dilemma now because of one person’s dilemma (mahathir’s Malay dilemma) which made all the mess Malaysians are paying for now

Miss SG so much 😊😊😊

cut the crap , why the same company can pay more in Singapore but pay less here in Malaysia?revisit and revise ur policy daa

Honest , we don't need Johore's brains . We need TOP CLASS entrepreneurs, specialists!!

Malaysia should not worry about Singapore, they have to improve to be competitive and stay relevant to the world. Don't need to be sour grapes, if you are happy with your current lifestyle wherever you are so be it. However if you wish to work hand in hand with Singapore to build your economy kindly solve the congestion at the customs, deploy automated check points for foreign passports(China and other parts of the whole are already doing). Don't have to blame who causes the jam, you are just digging your hole deeper. If unhappy abt people coming to your country then I dare you to ban export or shut down the custom, see who need who badly. Pls dont malu lah keep complaining waiting for people to spoon feed you all the time. 😊

🤭

Aiyah y go n interview the 1:3 We down here1:1 u don want interview.... Not tally leh tis inyerview wit the cosway situation daily....hahaha...

I will find a job in Singapore because the currency is super big. SGD1.00 to RM3.40. That's paradise. I will be going over there to overstay.

3.5 to 1 and they pretend they need to ask this question? Soon it would be 4 to 1!! Sinkie locals you ...die ah! Jiu hu kia grab....ALL THE JOBS including FOOD DELIVERY GRAB JOBS ON JOHORE MOTO TOO!!😆😆😆😆