Every week or two, Mrs Ruth Lee makes a half-hour drive to Johor Bahru in Malaysia to enjoy a hearty breakfast and stock up on groceries, saving between 30 and 50 per cent of what she would spend in Singapore."I usually drive, but the traffic jams can make the journey difficult, so I have to plan carefully," the 55-year-old financial adviser said.Before setting off for JB Sentral or before returning home, she has to check the traffic conditions to decide which route she should take. Since she shares a car with her husband, these trips also require her to coordinate schedules with him. The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, which is slated to open in January 2027, could help her avoid such hassles.
"With the RTS, it will be much easier," she said. "I can go more often for groceries, a meal, a massage or even to get my nails done and be much more spontaneous about my trips."While shoppers such as Mrs Lee are eagerly awaiting the opening of the RTS Link, merchants all around Singapore are feeling apprehensive about its potential impact on their businesses.At 888 Plaza in Woodlands – a stone's throw away from Johor Bahru – Ms Kacey Lin's salon has seen a decline in business over the years as rising costs in Singapore have driven price-sensitive customers to competitors in Malaysia. The 50-year-old owner of Dawn Beauty, which offers nail services as well as facials and massages, said: "There are already quite a lot of customers going to Malaysia. When the RTS Link opens, we can't predict how many more of these customers will flock to Malaysia. "We'll definitely be affected – just unsure to what extent." Her worries were echoed by small businesses across the island. Mr Wong Toh Onn, 70, who works at a minimart in Bukit Batok East, said that business has dropped by about 20 per cent in the last two years.His customers were upfront with him and admitted that, with the cost of living rising, they were heading to Johor Bahru more often for groceries to capitalise on the favourable exchange rate there."What can we really do? We sell groceries, all we can do is try to keep prices as low as we can."However, Mr Wong and other retailers told CNA TODAY that it is getting harder for them to keep prices down, with rent, manpower and the cost of supplies already going up."When the train opens, we're doomed," Mr Wong predicted.
