Familiar Strangers: Examining the Singaporean Presence in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Due to its proximity, thousands of Singaporeans travel to the city of Johor Bahru in Peninsula Malaysia, especially over weekends or public holidays. In recent years, growing numbers of Singaporeans have also acquired homes in Johor Bahru. Based on ethnographic observation and interviews, this article proposes possible explanations for this. Reasons include the lower cost of living in Johor Bahru, a needed respite from the demands of everyday life in Singapore, and the recognition of Johor Bahru's borderlands as an option for residency, investment, and retirement. A key factor rests in a growing sense of precarity among Singaporeans entrenched in a geographically small, fast-paced, and highly competitive society. Residence or regular commutes to Johor Bahru represent a strategy to manage and negotiate these challenges, enabling Singaporeans to realize alternate narratives of success and definitions of well-being. Finally, we propose the concept of space-time capital to better articulate and understand the growing Singaporean presence in Johor Bahru's borderlands.