JOHOR BAHRU: The Malaysian ringgit has been on a hot streak for some time now, hitting a seven-year high against the US dollar earlier this week.
At present, it is trading at S$1 to RM3.11. It’s hard to imagine that it reached a 26-year low as recently as April 2024, when it traded at S$1 to RM3.51.
While the strength of the ringgit may be good news for Malaysians, the fact that the Singdollar cannot be stretched as far as it used to is a cause for concern for some, especially low-income Singaporeans who cross the border to avail of less expensive goods and services.
As reported by South China Morning Post on Jan 29, a Singaporean, Gurpal Singh, unemployed for two years now, said despite the stronger Ringgit, he will continue weekly trips to Johor Bahru for groceries and petrol. The savings are significant, and since the lower Malaysian prices can be a family lifeline.
The report said he saves S$30 on RON97 fuel (S$1.05/litre in Malaysia vs. S$3.38–S$3.50 in Singapore), using it for weekly groceries, and notes cheaper dining options there.
However, as the ringgit grew in strength toward the end of 2025, there were fewer visitors to Johor Bahru from Singapore, which was unusual since the holidays were approaching.
While the currency’s strength may have been a significant reason for this, others attributed it to traffic and unusually poor weather, as many parts of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, were affected by storms and flooding.
The Star reported at the time that the drop in Singapore visitors started gradually but became pronounced after Deepavali, worsened by heavier and more unpredictable rain in Johor Bahru this year.
Upgrading works in the town area also worsened traffic, making the area less attractive to shoppers. But an outsider who visits the state regularly said the weekends are full of Singaporeans coming over to shop and eat out. /TISG
Read also: S’poreans still intend to go to Malaysia despite stronger ringgit, might change their minds if it dips below S$1 to RM3
