Living in JB

[wuqi256]

Hi Cathy,

Are you responding to my post, or are you just making some general comments? If you are responding to my post then you have completely missed my point.
I am not having an issue with people who invest here but do not live here - you seem to be driving at that point. I agree completely that different people have different circumstances and not everyone can or wish to live in JB cos' it is a matter of choice - that's a no brainer.

The point i am making is, we the ordinary folks need to demonstrate some mettle. Because there is always a good reason behind every crime incident. If one is easily scared off by some negative development then he will never make it in a new territory. I pointed out the Adda Heights break-in victim's neighbour who wanted to sell their house and move back to Singapore - i view that as too timid. So what matters to me is ordinary folks like you and me need to exhibit some courage and determination to fulfill a vision. I don't even care whether Najib wants to lower the crime by 10% or 20% - statistics mean nothing to me. It is the people that matters. Imagine each time a criminal tries to break-in to your house and he leaves with a broken nose. If criminal gets the impression it is risky to break into a particular vicinity i can tell you that will be alot more effective than government bullshit.

Also i hope the last paragraph of your post about people running down each other is not a respond to my post as i have not done that.

Thanks for your inputs Leman2011, its really how people react to crime. I had people who encountered crime in Woodlands, then they moved to Yishun and Toa Payoh in the end but still get robbed in the lift. You can only try to prevent it and have the courage and tenacity to hang on and see it to fruition rather than give up at the first sign of trouble. How would we fight a war then if one day we have people like that leading our army?

Throw down their guns and run when they see the first streaks of tracers?

 

[wuqi256]

So sorry to hear about the loss Horizonhills, there was nothing you could have done at that point in time by the time you discovered it. Sometimes karma works in very mysterious ways, i am sure you will get it back.

 

[wuqi256]

Btw,the other day, saw at change alley, one tall thing guy changed lots of RM, the rate was 2.392 if i remember correctly.
The bringing in of $$$ at the checkpoints is really bad if you bring in 30k USD or more. I checked with the banks today, its
not really an issue if you can prove the source of the income (pay, even from shares are easy to trace) They normally won't
come after you unless there are strong suspicions that the money smells of fish.

By the way, for bros in Perling side, the Public Bank atm/cam machines close quite early and usually end of the month is usually
jammed packed. Their machines also go down for maintenance. Bros who need to make payment and not in a rush can go back
in the morning or use a malaysian cheque to deposit it into their machine so that at least payment gets settled.

Eon bank allows one to have a debit card easily once you have a current account with them, you can even use internet banking too like the other banks here.

 

[wuqi256]

Nothing wrong with studying at Monash/NewCastle campus in JB as long as you have the cash to pay for it.

Dun worry about those who ridicule you. They are good at just that ridiculing. You are far better than the nay sayers.

Its definitely not malaysia standard. Ofcourse its not as good as the original Monash/New castle nor would it be anywhere close to NUS/NTU standards. STill its a decent decision.

Agreed with the Prof, education is a matter of choice.

No one place is good or bad, i have friends whose relatives studied at RI, RJC, NUS and in the end some even received president scholarship but are working as housing agents or just normal staff currently. These people unfortunately still thumb their noses up at others not knowing that their level has been surpassed a long time ago.

Yes its a real good living to some but what are we really striving/fighting for? Study hard and push ourselves to compete with people who didn't need to do the same or matched the same standards? By all means, do your best but there really isn't a need compete on that level internally in Singapore.

Do we keep pushing each other around so that we can make a place for that new FT?

 

[wuqi256]

Hi Prof,
No tips required Prof for most of the massage places or the restaurants. Some places even frown on tips. By the way, if you ever want any good place to eat with good quality food, mushroom soup, etc can try out Yews Cafe. Its at Perling area with a security guard that opens the door for you and guards the place outside. Service is quite good. Opposite the Toast & Toast place which has quite good coffee and toast. (Toast & Toast closes at 6pm and on Sundays)

Enjoy

 

[wuqi256]

For convenience shops, there are quite a few around, at Petrol kiosks, etc. One can still buy even at odd hours at petrol kiosks by standing outside and informing the staff inside what they want, they will ring it up for you as per normal.

Perling also has a number of convenience shops as does Bukit Indah area, one is inside Jalan Indah, they do sell drinks as well.

Enjoy

 

[BalikKampung]

There is this italian joint beside yew's cafe where you mentioned

Quite nice food there also

reasonable price. However, the lady boss sometimes tries to push her wagyu beef a little too much. So be warned

Hi Prof,
No tips required Prof for most of the massage places or the restaurants. Some places even frown on tips. By the way, if you ever want any good place to eat with good quality food, mushroom soup, etc can try out Yews Cafe. Its at Perling area with a security guard that opens the door for you and guards the place outside. Service is quite good. Opposite the Toast & Toast place which has quite good coffee and toast. (Toast & Toast closes at 6pm and on Sundays)

Enjoy

 

[Analytical Professor]

Hello Wuqi, Good Morning and Welcome Back.

Its great to have you back. So welcome again.

It was getting a bit quiet without your take on every topic discussed thus far.

Agreed Prof, .

 

[contra]

Hi Investor & LeMans2011 & any good tipsters,

Question about remiting money (sgd to rm) to my Loan Account in Malaysia Bank to pay my instalments.... In some earlier page there were some reputable money changers names in Marine Parade. Are they still reputable? Can you help suggest for me to use?

And normally you the money changers a big cheque (for better rates) say for sgd20k and then they remit into my Malaysia Bank Loan Account?

If so, reputable will be necessary. Appreciate any suggestions..

 

[Analytical Professor]

Like i mentioned earlier Wuqi, I have no clue where you got this idea from that i am putting one place down or pushing another place up.

Regarding potholes and back to this discussion again let me state if i remember correctly i mentioned Lebuhraya Pasir Gudang has one of the worst roads and that is pretty close to where I live. So i really dunno what you are driving at repeatedly. And there are several roads in a not so nice shape around where i live.

And another point when i suggested Nusajaya I meant Iskandar as a whole and not just Nusajaya in specific. Whatever i said about NJ refers to Iskandar as a whole eg., wages, local labour cost, state of economy, slow progress in the economy and the works. The fundamentals i spoke about referred to the fundamentals of Iskandar and not NJ. NJ is but a small part (altho an imp part) in the overall development of Iskandar.

I feel you are repeatedly trying to misunderstand me.

If i really wanna do a comparison or promote one area against another hey i would do it differently.

And definitely more agressively.

Sorry .... but i am just miffed that you are still needling me for no specific reason and i feel that its unhealthy as well.

Agreed Prof, though its good to point out things, when we point out something(like potholes), it should not limited to one area as there are many other places with potholes as i imagine you are aware.

There are no house rules here but I would rather that we do not overly pinpoint a specific place or put down some places at the detriment of others.
Discussion/debate on anything is great but a series/pattern of continuing messages putting down one specific place isn't very healthy, this applies to
everyone, myself included.

 

[Analytical Professor]

1) Wow Wuqi i did not know forummers here were playing politics!!

2) Your right Wuqi when you state that "just cause one does not point out does not mean one is not aware of it". Actually talking about the disadvantages of different developments well i could have said a lot. But thats not the focus here. The focus is living experience.

My 2 cents, this is not a political thread, freedom of speech, etc is very welcome, politics or the playing of is not. (I have enough of it at the office) We can talk about others things from time to time but we should keep to the main topic and not get side tracked or focused on just one continuously. The keyword here is continuously. This is good as a point of reference but it should not be a single reference point for a subtopic.

Also, constantly putting down any place is detrimental to all as everywhere is linked, just as i never point out the presence of potholes in other developments doesn't mean that i am not aware of it.

 

[contra]

Dear brave pioneering souls,

From 'outside' looking in, it was not pleasant but necessary to have had the honesty & maturity to share about the recent Adda Heights incident. I hope it will be a lesson to all the developers and property management companies. Good that Iskandar authorities also got involved. Involvement in residents committee is even more important in JB to ensure prop management companies are on their toes on security. Also good to know EL takes the responsibility to fix the roof tiles from the freak storm.

Naysayers had their moment of tummy rub. But it tides over fast.

This forum is the difference btw the past vs now where investing in JB prop has a good chance of strong appreciation. Mutual support even to price of sardines comparisons. Impressive

The JB appreciation is entrenched simply because Spore prop getting even more expensive. Example; My district just had a condo en bloc and experts estimate developer's breakeven would be sgd1,150 psqft. (2 yrs ago, prices here were just about sgd750psqft). The fear is always there that one day neighbours want to en bloc even if I did not want, I will be forced to tow the line. I would probably be forced to downgrade or stay far off for my twilight years. Better to be in JB instead, enjoying a nice fully-paid landed property and where my money goes further.

At office lunch, people start to discuss about buying in JB. The Straits Times article helped put the thought into the heads.

If going to be late from Singapore back to JB, spend money to stay over in a hotel, friends/relatives or even sleep in office. Do not take risks that could be avoided.

How I envy the happy weekends you are going to enjoy in JB while I dread the weekend ultra-crowded shopping centres here.

 

[LeMans2011]

Hi Investor & LeMans2011 & any good tipsters,
Question about remiting money (sgd to rm) to my Loan Account in Malaysia Bank to pay my instalments.... In some earlier page there were some reputable money changers names in Marine Parade. Are they still reputable? Can you help suggest for me to use? And normally you the money changers a big cheque (for better rates) say for sgd20k and then they remit into my Malaysia Bank Loan Account? If so, reputable will be necessary. Appreciate any suggestions..

Hi Contra
As Parkway Parade is convenient for me, i use the Sino Money Changer beside Citibank on ground floor main entrance. The lady is a bit rude but her rate is the best in Parkway, but sometimes if her staff quotes it might be not so good, hence always counter-check before committing. They are also more willing to offer good rates for high quantity. Honestly i trusted them based on my sixth sense and nothing more. I got 2.388 today at Sino. I think you can get 2.392 at Arcade.

 

[LeMans2011]

Contra, Wuqi, AP, Investor, Cathy and all

Indeed i fully agree this is a forum for honest sharing, both the positive and negative aspects... if i have offended anyone in my chiding do accept my apologies.

Lastly, i would like to think we can make a difference to Living in JB... whether via a community voice or otherwise

 

[LeMans2011]

You were quite right as they have claimed it to be an act of nature but also confirmed that this defect will be rectified for me as their goodwill. Very nice of EL customer service...

That is the very essence of Malaysian culture. Not exactly top notch in service, but reasonably acceptable and the people are not calculative.

 

[wuqi256]

Thanks Lemans2011, no apologies required.

Prof, some of your past comments are readily read in a certain manner no matter how hard i tried to reread it again.

On one hand, you said in the very beginning when you joined in the discussion that we will keep to the topic at hand, now recently, you are saying every other post that we should have freedom of speech and i know you got miffed when i asked to stop the earlier comparison which i felt was getting us nowwhere fast.

Your repeated postings about the lack of this and that were all in one particular place, then you post about crime in Bukit Indah, do read your post again and tell me how would one reasonably think? Then its on to talk about economics and how that this place is not going to do well firstly short term, then it becomes unsustainable in long term.

Prof, i am tired of this, this thread belongs to everyone, i have never asked anyone to completely stop discussing about things, only to keep to the main topic. I have not asked once but more than a few times.

I do not mean to offend and my sincere apologies to you but we really need to move on.

 

[LeMans2011]

One thing i observe among all security guards i have seen... so far it is the Gurkhas that demonstrate the highest professionalism. I have not met one Gurkha guard that behaves badly, and i must say they perform their duties without fear or favor. I was fetching my colleagues to view some properties and Leisure Farm was our last stop. By the time we arrived i was 530-600pm and the guards told me "closed". I started putting pressure on them, making all kinds of excuses but they were unmoved (i must admit it was a moment of bad behaviour). In the end they let me in after i called the sales in front of them, an the sales agreed i could come in... i suppose that was in their SOP.

On another occassion i ran into hooligan along the road as i was visiting... Leisure Farm again. This lorry was trying to overtake me dangerously in a situation that was just impossible. I got pissed and taunted him by slowing down to let him overtake, then speeding away leaving him fuming mad in his slow lorry... repeated that 2 or 3 times since the journey was long. The driver got real mad... when i turned into Leisure Farm, he turned in as well. After passing through,i saw the aggressive driver had some exchanges with the security... eventually he could not get through and had to go away. Ok... honest admission of another moment of folly. Will restrain myself from behaviour that puts Singaporean number plates in danger... but the point is... the guards are good !

 

[wuqi256]

Dear brave pioneering souls,

From 'outside' looking in, it was not pleasant but necessary to have had the honesty & maturity to share about the recent Adda Heights incident. I hope it will be a lesson to all the developers and property management companies. Good that Iskandar authorities also got involved. Involvement in residents committee is even more important in JB to ensure prop management companies are on their toes on security. Also good to know EL takes the responsibility to fix the roof tiles from the freak storm.

Naysayers had their moment of tummy rub. But it tides over fast.

This forum is the difference btw the past vs now where investing in JB prop has a good chance of strong appreciation. Mutual support even to price of sardines comparisons. Impressive

The JB appreciation is entrenched simply because Spore prop getting even more expensive. Example; My district just had a condo en bloc and experts estimate developer's breakeven would be sgd1,150 psqft. (2 yrs ago, prices here were just about sgd750psqft). The fear is always there that one day neighbours want to en bloc even if I did not want, I will be forced to tow the line. I would probably be forced to downgrade or stay far off for my twilight years. Better to be in JB instead, enjoying a nice fully-paid landed property and where my money goes further.

At office lunch, people start to discuss about buying in JB. The Straits Times article helped put the thought into the heads.

If going to be late from Singapore back to JB, spend money to stay over in a hotel, friends/relatives or even sleep in office. Do not take risks that could be avoided.

How I envy the happy weekends you are going to enjoy in JB while I dread the weekend ultra-crowded shopping centres here.

Hi Contra, i am over here for the long haul, reports of crime will not deter me. A neighbour remarked to me that how come Singaporeans who have travelled the world, even in countries where guns are more widely carried then mobile phones yet are scared of a place like Johore. Certain areas are still ok at night as i roam the nights here.

 

[wuqi256]

Just to share something that recently happened:

Few months ago, Century garden, a friend got robbed as she went about her business and was just parking her car, guy just smashed her window and grabbed her bag. Luckily her bag was opened so 95% of the stuff dropped out and he was so much in a rush he never saw everything spilling out. Many folks tried to run after but it was too fast. Folks then helped her get back her things.

A week ago, we were stopped by police just as i was advising a relative to bring driving license when driving. I was a bit frustrated why she never bothered to bring her driving license despite my reminders. Both relatives (older than me) was saying it won't happen and even so, she can just pay the fine.

Well, she was wrong on both counts, just a few minutes later, she was stopped as she drove through an amber light (Bukit Indah) It was a scary moment when 2 patrol cars stopped her, they took down my particulars when they discovered she didn't had her driving license with her and even said we may be fined for both counts.

In the end, after apologising profusely for her, we were surprised when the officers told us its ok and they will waive off the summon just this once.

So in the end, no summons, no bribe, just a lasting lesson to bring ones driving license here(when driving).

 

[wuqi256]

Bros driving in Bukit Indah area, near to the Tesco. When turning left (for those going to Tesco/Nusa Bestari), please wait for the green light as there are times when the traffic police will wait in ambush there for those who turn left before the green light comes on.

Bros coming to Bukit Indah from Nusa Bestari, there is a 3 lane road which becomes a 2 lane road on the bridge (after this bridge, you will reach the Eminent massage place)
Cops sometimes will wait at the end of the road (almost reaching Standard Chartered bank) with one cop hiding behind the TNB panel to catch your number in case you try to go straight on the extreme right lane (its only for turning right)

Bros driving in Setia Indah area, there is a big round about whilst going to the Austin Heights area, sometimes police are waiting at the end of the round about for those who didn't stop at the stop sign.

Bros driving out of the Tebrau city/ from Austin area, please take note that there are cops who are sometimes to be found waiting for people who speed when you exit the highway at the end of the bridge.