# Drawbacks of Living in JB ?



## foreleft

Greetings to one and all,

I have just got my EP recently and my company is in the midst of working out the details of relocation. Just some background :

I am currently based in KL, and am in a regional sales position with an MNC, with Singapore being one of my territories.

Management has decided to focus more on the Singapore market and wants to me be based in Singapore full time for this purpose. I am married with 3 young kids and am drawing more than RM10K a month in Malaysia. Now, for me to relocate to Singapore, there is no way a conversion can be done! My salary in SGD should basically be same or pretty close to my RM salary, apple to apple.

However, this also another option of the company putting me in JB instead if they could not afford to put me in Singapore. 

If Singapore happens, then fine. Not an issue. However, I wanted to pick your thoughts on JB. Is there drawbacks of living and commuting from JB ? Do note, that I am in sales and most of my work will be focused on the Jurong/Tuas/Pioneer tricfecta. And neither am I bound to regular office hours. Generally I meet customers mostly between 9.30,10am to about 4pm or so. Getting across the second link back and forth won't be a problem to me.

But what are the considerations I should look at ? From a tax perspective ? Also would I have problems renewing my EP if I lived in JB ?

Any thoughts at all would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Ray


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## beppi

You need to consider that
- living in JB gives you the advantages/disadvantages (mainly the latter) of living in a seedy third world border town. Compare that to Singapore living standards, which are pretty good!
- transport links between the countries are not good, and you cannot drive a Malaysian car in Singapore every day. If you have a Singapore EP (unlikely at the salary you mention) and the necessary money (cars there are damn expensive!) you can get a Singapore car for that purpose.


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## foreleft

beppi said:


> You need to consider that
> - living in JB gives you the advantages/disadvantages (mainly the latter) of living in a seedy third world border town. Compare that to Singapore living standards, which are pretty good!
> - transport links between the countries are not good, and you cannot drive a Malaysian car in Singapore every day. If you have a Singapore EP (unlikely at the salary you mention) and the necessary money (cars there are damn expensive!) you can get a Singapore car for that purpose.


Thanks, Beppi for your input. Much appreciated. 

I believe from the LTA website, that an EP holder CAN drive Malaysian car in Singapore if certain conditions are met :

1. If I owned the car
2. If I reside outside of Singapore
3. The car is outside Singapore for more than 6 hours a day

There's a few more, but I can't post links yet. It's all on the LTA website.

So that shouldn't be a problem. 

But thanks for the input much appreciated. If there's anything else you can think of, please do share as well.

Cheers

Rgds,
Ray


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## beppi

I was told by a Malaysian (perhaps wrongly - I didn't verify) that a Malaysian car can enter Singapore only a very limited number of days in its lifetime (10 or 20 days, if I remember correctly) and that to exceed this a Singapore CoE is needed (which, as you may know, costs more than a new car in Malaysia).
If what you wrote were true, there would be more Malaysian cars on Singapore roads (saving the owners thousands every month), but in fact none of the Malaysians I know who commute to Singapore daily does it by car (most use scooters, which are allowed in).
Usually Singapore regulations are free of such loophes!


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## BBCWatcher

Here's what LTA says:

_....However, any person who holds a Work Pass issued by Ministry of Manpower, who is also not a resident of Singapore, may drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Singapore only if ALL these conditions are met:

He is the registered owner of the vehicle.
He resides outside Singapore.
He has a valid insurance certificate and road tax to use the vehicle on Singapore roads.
The vehicle is kept or used outside Singapore for a total period of 6 hours or more every day.
The vehicle has an Autopass Card to validate its entry/exit at Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints and to pay for VEP/toll charges._

For reference, one year of road tax (2015) for a car less than 10 years old with a 1500 cc petrol engine is S$686. Also please note that the normal fill up rules apply when exiting Singapore, i.e. that you must have at least 3/4 of a tank of petrol when exiting Singapore. Said another way, buy your fuel in Malaysia then top up if necessary just before you leave.

I do not recommend cross-border residence, but I'm trying to answer the question asked.


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## foreleft

beppi said:


> I was told by a Malaysian (perhaps wrongly - I didn't verify) that a Malaysian car can enter Singapore only a very limited number of days in its lifetime (10 or 20 days, if I remember correctly) and that to exceed this a Singapore CoE is needed (which, as you may know, costs more than a new car in Malaysia).
> If what you wrote were true, there would be more Malaysian cars on Singapore roads (saving the owners thousands every month), but in fact none of the Malaysians I know who commute to Singapore daily does it by car (most use scooters, which are allowed in).
> Usually Singapore regulations are free of such loophes!


Ahhh yess Beppi....that would be the dreaded VEP at SGD35 a day entry 

Yes that would be a factor. An average of about 200 days entry per year would blow a significant hole in my wallet. 

Ray


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## foreleft

BBCWatcher said:


> Here's what LTA says:
> 
> _....However, any person who holds a Work Pass issued by Ministry of Manpower, who is also not a resident of Singapore, may drive a foreign-registered vehicle in Singapore only if ALL these conditions are met:
> 
> He is the registered owner of the vehicle.
> He resides outside Singapore.
> He has a valid insurance certificate and road tax to use the vehicle on Singapore roads.
> The vehicle is kept or used outside Singapore for a total period of 6 hours or more every day.
> The vehicle has an Autopass Card to validate its entry/exit at Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints and to pay for VEP/toll charges._
> 
> For reference, one year of road tax (2015) for a car less than 10 years old with a 1500 cc petrol engine is S$686. Also please note that the normal fill up rules apply when exiting Singapore, i.e. that you must have at least 3/4 of a tank of petrol when exiting Singapore. Said another way, buy your fuel in Malaysia then top up if necessary just before you leave.
> 
> I do not recommend cross-border residence, but I'm trying to answer the question asked.


Yes BBCwatcher that is what's stated on the website. Thanks for putting that up. 

I do believe, though, what they meant with that valid road tax and insurance part was as long as you've got insurance and a valid road tax you can drive it here in Singapore. Even if it's a malaysian one. In other words, they don't want you driving a foreign car around Singapore with no valid papers for it. 

No mention about the 3/4 tank fuel part too. I think that's strictly for Singapore vehicles. 

Ray


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## BBCWatcher

foreleft said:


> No mention about the 3/4 tank fuel part too. I think that's strictly for Singapore vehicles.


You're correct.

There are some ways to avoid the VEP on certain days, as I read the rules. If, for example, you enter Singapore after 5:00 p.m., stay overnight, have a morning meeting with your client, then get out of Singapore before 11:00 a.m. (to meet the 6 hour rule), then you're spared the VEP -- but somebody has to pay for the hotel and parking. Enter at 6:00 p.m. and you have to get out before noon.

I do not recommend any of this. It's simply not an enjoyable lifestyle, and that's worth something.


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## foreleft

BBCWatcher said:


> You're correct.
> 
> There are some ways to avoid the VEP on certain days, as I read the rules. If, for example, you enter Singapore after 5:00 p.m., stay overnight, have a morning meeting with your client, then get out of Singapore before 11:00 a.m. (to meet the 6 hour rule), then you're spared the VEP -- but somebody has to pay for the hotel and parking. Enter at 6:00 p.m. and you have to get out before noon.
> 
> I do not recommend any of this. It's simply not an enjoyable lifestyle, and that's worth something.


Yeah, totally agree on the lifestyle thing, man.

On the VEP, I believe the timing is free entry between 5pm till 2am I think....and of course, weekends and public holidays as well.

That's crazy...who on earth would I meet between 5pm to 2am ? Hahaha....


Ray


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## R-PAT

Hi,

I believe with the recent TOLL increase your option are left very little choice.



foreleft said:


> Greetings to one and all,
> 
> I have just got my EP recently and my company is in the midst of working out the details of relocation. Just some background :
> 
> I am currently based in KL, and am in a regional sales position with an MNC, with Singapore being one of my territories.
> 
> Management has decided to focus more on the Singapore market and wants to me be based in Singapore full time for this purpose. I am married with 3 young kids and am drawing more than RM10K a month in Malaysia. Now, for me to relocate to Singapore, there is no way a conversion can be done! My salary in SGD should basically be same or pretty close to my RM salary, apple to apple.
> 
> However, this also another option of the company putting me in JB instead if they could not afford to put me in Singapore.
> 
> If Singapore happens, then fine. Not an issue. However, I wanted to pick your thoughts on JB. Is there drawbacks of living and commuting from JB ? Do note, that I am in sales and most of my work will be focused on the Jurong/Tuas/Pioneer tricfecta. And neither am I bound to regular office hours. Generally I meet customers mostly between 9.30,10am to about 4pm or so. Getting across the second link back and forth won't be a problem to me.
> 
> But what are the considerations I should look at ? From a tax perspective ? Also would I have problems renewing my EP if I lived in JB ?
> 
> Any thoughts at all would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Ray


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