Ten years later, the business development executive has no immediate plans to return to work in Malaysia as the Singapore dollar continues to grow in strength.
It is the only reason why she has not moved back to Malaysia where her husband and two children live.
“Singapore is where I have been earning a living and it has given me an opportunity to grow in my career,” she told FMT, adding that the exchange rate had been vital in helping her family in Malaysia get through trying times during the pandemic.
She said even if she could get two-thirds of her current salary, she would not move back to Malaysia as it would still not be enough to support her family.
Recently, DAP assemblyman Liew Chin Tong said businesses in Johor must pay at least two-thirds of what Singapore employers pay to keep Malaysians home.
The Perling assemblyman said the poor wages in Johor and other parts of Malaysia were the reason why they chose to work in Singapore.
According to reports, an estimated 400,000 Malaysians work in Singapore, many of them commuting daily between Johor Bahru and the republic.
Another Singapore-based Malaysian, who only wanted to be known as Ikhwan, said he would gladly return to Malaysia if he could get two-thirds of the salary he was currently earning.
The 36-year-old doctor from Kuala Lumpur moved to Singapore 10 years ago as the money and work-life balance was better there than in Malaysia.
“But if I could earn close to what I’m earning, I’d be more than happy to move back. The rent is cheaper, and the pace of life and food are better, too. Wherever we roam, there’s no place like home,” he said.
Another Malaysian, who only wanted to be known as Devan, 35, said he had been working in Singapore since 2015 but would love to move back home if he could earn a similar amount to what he was getting now.
“Working in Singapore brings better exposure due to it being a regional hub and it keeps work exciting and enriching. Money is definitely a strong pull as I roughly earn the same I would in Malaysia from a dollar-to-dollar perspective.
“This means I earn three times more than I would in Malaysia,” said the executive director at a reinsurance firm.
Consultant Wong Wei Hong said he and his Malaysian wife chose to work in Singapore because of the better pay, quality of life and safety.
“We are able to save more. We don’t need to have a car, which requires a lot of maintenance, since public transport is so accessible,” he told FMT.
He said even though rent was costlier in Singapore, they were able to save more than they would in Malaysia because of the purchasing power of the Singapore dollar.
The 34-year-old said he would only consider moving back to Malaysia if there were business opportunities and if the government focused on improving infrastructure as well as the country’s governance and institutional frameworks.