Living in JB

[lastresort]

could be a potential catch 21 with setia looking at Jcorp looking at setia...

actually causeway link has already secured places to build new additional terminal/ bus park/ car park for passengers to help expand business. At least one plot is completed and ready.

 

[euphony]

i am quietly happy to have bought my car just 2 years ago where the expenses seem to have piled up for new car buyers now with the hyperinflated COE. I just wish the 10 years don't run out too soon. Am reading the news about the taxi cab fare increase. Looks very unreasonable to me. flag down fare has increased, peak hours lengthened to 6am in the morning and 12am at night! this on top of any ERP charges plus it runs even in the weekend. The passenger must be very busy tallying all the different numbers at the end of the trip. That or pack like sardines into the public transport. So again I am quietly happy to own my ride. I mean if the government want to penalize drivers can't they figure out whats driving people away from public transport in the first place?

 

[jasonjst]

actually causeway link has already secured places to build new additional terminal/ bus park/ car park for passengers to help expand business. At least one plot is completed and ready.

Bro , do you know exact location ?

 

[palden]

Drivers should not be penalize. It is the inability of govt to build enough infrastructure to support the growth despite being paid in millions. As your children grow or you have more children, do you penalize them for eating more food?

i am quietly happy to have bought my car just 2 years ago where the expenses seem to have piled up for new car buyers now with the hyperinflated COE. I just wish the 10 years don't run out too soon. Am reading the news about the taxi cab fare increase. Looks very unreasonable to me. flag down fare has increased, peak hours lengthened to 6am in the morning and 12am at night! this on top of any ERP charges plus it runs even in the weekend. The passenger must be very busy tallying all the different numbers at the end of the trip. That or pack like sardines into the public transport. So again I am quietly happy to own my ride. I mean if the government want to penalize drivers can't they figure out whats driving people away from public transport in the first place?

 

[lastresort]

Bro , do you know exact location ?

Bro, they did not provide exact location, but I think one of the sites is the plot of land in Bukit Indah 2 next to the shop houses leading to HH.

 

[arsenal]

Singapore ruling party is a funny group of self declared elites.. while they violently oppose min wages with all sort of reasons forcing down the people throat, they do have min wage for themselves.. hard to respect civil servants that work solely for money.. Some people said they are actually tearing the people aparts and i agree..

 

[mallow]

SINGAPOREANS: SIGN UP FOR YOUR GROWTH DIVIDENDS BY 31 DEC 2011
Letters will be sent out from December 7 to remind Singaporeans aged 21 and above to sign up for the Growth Dividend this year. This can be done online at the "Grow & Share" website www.growandshare.gov.sg. OR complete the "Grow & Share" form available at any community centre, Community Development Council or CPF Service Centre.
All forms must reach the CPF Board before 31 December 2011.
Just check that you are already in line to receive this. WASTE to miss out.

 

[johnny333]

SINGAPOREANS: SIGN UP FOR YOUR GROWTH DIVIDENDS BY 31 DEC 2011
Letters will be sent out from December 7 to remind Singaporeans aged 21 and above to sign up for the Growth Dividend this year. This can be done online at the "Grow & Share" website www.growandshare.gov.sg. OR complete the "Grow & Share" form available at any community centre, Community Development Council or CPF Service Centre.
All forms must reach the CPF Board before 31 December 2011.
Just check that you are already in line to receive this. WASTE to miss out.

For those living in JB, did you get your "Growth Dividen"

 

[Bluereeff]

My thai friends has suggested that I buy property in Bangkok, but as an investment i.e to rent out
For self stay you don't have have to limit it to only one place Can have a place in Chiangmai AND Bangkok

During the hot season can spend time in cool Chiangmai to recharge your batteries & then go to Bangkok when the weather is nicer.

It's of course nice to have your own property but it ties you & your money down. I'm not sure I can adjust to life in LOS, especially the language. That's why my plan is to get an education visa to attend language classes. After which I can decide on my next step.

Home loan rate in thailand is 7%? Msia 4.2%. Spore cheapest averagely 1%.

 

[ginfreely]

10 years ago a business associate brought me along yo buy land in a place 1.5hrs away from Bangkok.. it is a beautiful hill.. temperature there was about 24-25c.. with people growing grapes for wine. 20000ft of land cited around 30k.. i realised then there are a lot if nice place near Singapore..

10 years ago SG was still a pleasant and okay place then, no such messy foreigner situation...no need and never considered migrating or retiring overseas, always thought SG as my one and only home...never think that one day i'll be retiring in Msia!

 

[ginfreely]

4) stop being afraid of bills in your letter box.

Hehe I also have this experience, especially property tax bills, keep on adjusting and higher & higher!

 

[ginfreely]

Some PAP MPs are getting more than one pay packet e.g. retirement pay, active pay, bonuses,....all that money & they pay zero taxes. For years I've seen the PAP drive up the costs in Spore & waiting for Sporeans to push back against the PAP. They are finally reacting, but I'm getting too old & want to enjoy life before it's too late.

Would have acted sooner except for the financial crises that must have affected many plans:(

Yeah the world got so many financial crisis, already experienced a few counting from 1997 and each time it seems to get harder as one gets older..

 

[ginfreely]

My thai friends has suggested that I buy property in Bangkok, but as an investment i.e to rent out
For self stay you don't have have to limit it to only one place Can have a place in Chiangmai AND Bangkok

During the hot season can spend time in cool Chiangmai to recharge your batteries & then go to Bangkok when the weather is nicer.

It's of course nice to have your own property but it ties you & your money down. I'm not sure I can adjust to life in LOS, especially the language. That's why my plan is to get an education visa to attend language classes. After which I can decide on my next step.

True indeed, can have a place in both Chiangmai and Bangkok. Oh one thing I recalled about Chiangmai is it was pretty hot when I was there, not particularly cooling...

Language wise, it does look daunting, can't even read a word on the Thai signboards..may be take as past time to learn a new language, I also learned quite a few Malay words by reading the signboards and checking the translator, haha remind me of last time in school when learning English vocab and checking dictionary..

 

[Puteri harbour]

Things for thoughts

Country A
Property price 250k
Oil price a$1
Exchange rate a$1/b$1

Country B
Property price 100k
Oil price b$1
Exchange rate a$1/b$1

After 15years
Country A
Property price $3,000,000
Oil price a$2.2
exchange rate a$1/b$2.4

Country B
Property price $400,000
Oil price b$3
Exchange rate a$1/b$2.4

after 15 years
Country b people is happy but worse off in term of wealth compare to country a. Country a people can also be happy but usually not contended. Main reason why they are unhappy.
Country b people cannot travel as much as country a people due to weak exchange rate. Also cannot Afford to buy F16 or F5. Buy no money to maintain.
Country B govt say global oil price and food price increasing so cannot subsidize so much any more. if not, b govt become poor.
Country a people can still pay for oil without subsidies because strong exchange rate. if a pump petrol in b, b govt is subsidizing a people.

If the above is offensive, please read with open mind. As this is the fact of life. If one does not think using common sense, they will be taken advantage of. You need a forward looking govt who are able to implement unfavorable policies that are strategic for longterm rather policies that wish votes every 5 years.

NB: no govt are perfect but we have to remind them that they need to remember the heartlander. But not to the extent that they start forgoing long term goals for electoral votes......

I always believe in making things happy and does not like to wait for things to happy. Everyone can be happy as long as they are contended. I know of many single income families(household income 3000) that feed 4-6 mouths, camp some weekends at east coast park and yet very happy.

Also know many families, household income more than $10,000 but not happy. The reasons why they not happy? I am sure we all know....

Cheers,
PH
Which country you wish to be in?

 

[Puteri harbour]

I wish to be in country A so that I have the options to decide where I want to retire at a later stage in life......options to me is better than no options. Many citizens in many of our neighboring countries do not like their govt and thing that Singapore is good but yet they cannot afford the lifestyle here. The irony is that many of my countryman are complaining about life. I use to stay in a 5 rooms flats and my wife use to stay in a 3 room flats. We are able to be where we are because the education system and the job opportunities in Singapore give us a chance.

Many college and university graduate from work as domestic Helpers. I know of a guy that work for the car grooming company that I go to, was a lawyer from myamar.

I count myself lucky to me born in a country where I know I will succeed if I work hard and I does not need to worry about my life (try being born in african continent, south America, India (caste system) and etc.

My advice is make the best out of the worst. Or make the best even better if you are lucky.

Cheers,
PH

Things for thoughts

Country A
Property price 250k
Oil price a$1
Exchange rate a$1/b$1

Country B
Property price 100k
Oil price b$1
Exchange rate a$1/b$1

After 15years
Country A
Property price $3,000,000
Oil price a$2.2
exchange rate a$1/b$2.4

Country B
Property price $400,000
Oil price b$3
Exchange rate a$1/b$2.4

after 15 years
Country b people is happy but worse off in term of wealth compare to country a. Country a people can also be happy but usually not contended. Main reason why they are unhappy.
Country b people cannot travel as much as country a people due to weak exchange rate. Also cannot Afford to buy F16 or F5. Buy no money to maintain.
Country B govt say global oil price and food price increasing so cannot subsidize so much any more. if not, b govt become poor.
Country a people can still pay for oil without subsidies because strong exchange rate. if a pump petrol in b, b govt is subsidizing a people.

If the above is offensive, please read with open mind. As this is the fact of life. If one does not think using common sense, they will be taken advantage of. You need a forward looking govt who are able to implement unfavorable policies that are strategic for longterm rather policies that wish votes every 5 years.

NB: no govt are perfect but we have to remind them that they need to remember the heartlander. But not to the extent that they start forgoing long term goals for electoral votes......

I always believe in making things happy and does not like to wait for things to happy. Everyone can be happy as long as they are contended. I know of many single income families(household income 3000) that feed 4-6 mouths, camp some weekends at east coast park and yet very happy.

Also know many families, household income more than $10,000 but not happy. The reasons why they not happy? I am sure we all know....

Cheers,
PH
Which country you wish to be in?

 

[curiouscat]

It seems to me there are very few (if any) countries where people are mainly happy and satisfied. We generally find reasons to complain about whatever we have. As countries get richer often people complain more. Why this is, must be psychological. When the country is one where just meeting your basic needs is a worry you are either busy doing that or are happy you have done so (or tired from having done so).

As meeting basic needs becomes taken for granted people often start focusing on how much better things could be - and then are disappointed that they are not quite that good.

It is good that we strive for things to be better, I haven't seen anywhere where many things couldn't be improved. It would be nice if we could appreciate what we have while striving to make things better. Singapore might actually face a more difficult challenge now than it did in 1970. The tremendous economic success for such a small country results in high cost of living. This then means people need to do jobs that add a great deal of value in order to pay them enough just to live. Also, in such economies there will be a significant number of much richer people. People get jealous, that others have so much more than they do, and this is frustrating (even if they have 4 times as much as their great grandparents did - they focus more on how much better someone else has it today than how much better they have it than those before).

Johor offers Singapore an opportunity to help manage the process going forward. Without Johor Singapore's challenge would be significantly greater. And Singapore offers Johor great advantages for creating jobs and providing investment funds and expertise. Together I think the future is bright. It won't be perfect and people on both sides will complain I am sure. But I think very active ties will greatly benefit all sides.

 

[tansi]

definitely a nono to drive any foreign car in dear motherland, red plate opc is the only legal and less expensive instrument if one has to come back driving.

Hi guys,

not sure if this info is outdated. In the 90s, when i was still in the SPF , my incharge have to go to court as during a routine roadblock, he had caught a singaporean driving a malaysia car. that driver was charged with a heavy fine. You can also refer to http://www.lta.gov.sg/motoring_matters/motoring_guide_overview.htm. Just my two cents worth.. "Bor Hua"

 

[yonglip]

Things for thoughts

Which country you wish to be in?

I think many of us would like to be in both countries!..thats why we are in this forum bro.

I think most of us would like to see both countries succeed..thats why we are so open minded about living/retiring in M'sia. For others who only see a win-lose situation, visiting JB would be the last thing on thier mind; not to talk about staying here.

Cheers.

 

[yonglip]

Bro, they did not provide exact location, but I think one of the sites is the plot of land in Bukit Indah 2 next to the shop houses leading to HH.

bro..i think if any transport hub is to happen there..it will most likely be at the circular park. There are only 2 plots of land left around the circular that is not planned for anything...one is where the existing showvillage sits and the other is directly opposite this plot. I think Setia, Handal and authorities would have to sit down to see how the BUS can complement the train route. Both plots are good candidates for a interchange that can be connected to a LRT/MRT station.

My 2 cents worth.

Cheers.

 

[greddy88]

Its more of a mom and dad issue, i cannot leave them behind no matter what. If they are not willing to go, then i have to reconsider the place and find a compromise. I am so glad your relatives like it in Thailand though.

Same here.
Actually I have applied Australian PR a couple of years ago.
In the meantime, I have been trying but so far unsuccessfully 'educate' both my wife and my parents that many Asians are there too.. HK, TW, SG, MY and of course PRC..
As we can't simply leave them behind.. so.. Plan B.. looking for somewhere nearer..JB. This somewhat fits for our long-term plans.. the only issue is CPF still getting locked.

Anyway, the PR is still not approved yet.. and we have some time to finally decide, find ways to let them see Australian living for themselves (and they like/ok with it, or forego that PR and get a house in JB..