Cross-Causeway Consumption: Singaporean Shoppers and the Evolving Economy of Johor’s Ramadan Bazaars

Editor’s Note:
This piece is longer than the typical commentaries in Fulcrum. To borrow publishing parlance, it is a colour piece: an essay which seeks to give readers a sense of time and place at a significant event in Southeast Asia. The editors would like to thank the authors (and reviewers) for their legwork and effort. We hope our readers will enjoy the essay and inspire them to contribute pieces written in a similar style.

Johor’s Angsana Mall, about a 10-minute drive from the Malaysian immigration and customs checkpoint, is well known among locals and Malay Singaporeans as tempat Singapore (“Singaporean place”) for its popularity with visitors from across the border. Every year, the mall hosts Johor’s largest Ramadan bazaar, featuring more than 300 stalls within its auditorium and open-air area.

The open-air area is lined with stalls offering a variety of food for iftar, ranging from traditional Malay cuisine to contemporary options, with prices generally within the standard market range of RM8 to RM12. The bazaar also features higher-priced options, with some vendors selling larger portions of dishes such as nasi lemak and nasi kerabu, as well as more premium tastes, with upscale items like snow crab and wagyu skewers. Within the grounds, there is a separate Aidilfitri bazaar selling Hari Raya snacks, including kueh and kerepok.

While Angsana Mall’s bazaar is large and commercially diverse, other bazaars in Johor operate on a smaller, more community-oriented scale. One example is Bazaar Taman Dahlia, located along a closed-off road of Jalan Persiaran Dahlia, operating daily from 3 pm to 7 pm. Hosting around 150 stalls, it sells traditional staples such as laksa Johor, ayam lemak, and satay. Organised by the local government with the Malay Small Traders and Hawkers Association (Persatuan Peniaga dan Penjaja Kecil Melayu), many vendors here are veteran food sellers who return each Ramadan.

Despite being smaller, Bazaar Taman Dahlia appeared noticeably more crowded. The organisers told the authors that visitor numbers surged after a video of Johor’s Chief Minister, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, promoting the bazaar’s RM5 murtabaks and RM2 kebabs went viral on Instagram and TikTok. They shared that a careful vendor selection process helps maintain affordability: vendors are required to declare their menus in advance, allowing organisers to keep prices reasonable.

Beyond festive consumption, Ramadan bazaars play an important role in supporting the local economy and creating entrepreneurial opportunities for small businesses. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), there were 96,549 Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaar stalls nationwide in 2025 which recorded a total sales value of RM3.2 billion. Some 281,876 people were involved, mostly females and individuals aged 31-40, highlighting the substantial scale of this seasonal bazaar economy across the country. Johor Bahru (JB) stands out as the most active bazaar economy in Malaysia. In 2025, JB recorded the highest bazaar sales value in the country, generating RM261.1 million in sales; it had a significantly higher number of bazaar participants, at 24,889 stalls.

Several factors help explain JB’s strong performance, most notably its strategic position within a highly active cross-border corridor, with over 300,000 people crossing the Johor-Singapore Causeway daily. Despite the introduction of the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) in 2025, JB’s bazaars remain easily accessible through multiple transport options. For non-drivers, frequent cross-border buses run from Woodlands Checkpoint to JB Sentral for a few Singapore dollars, while the KTM Shuttle Tebrau train connects Woodlands and JB Sentral in about five minutes. As connectivity continues to improve through infrastructure upgrades such as the expansion of the Woodlands Checkpoint, alongside projects like the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), visits by Singaporeans to JB’s bazaars are likely to become even more common.

Additionally, JB has long been a convenient destination for short cross-border trips due to the favourable exchange rate. While these visits occur year-round, many Singaporeans take the opportunity to stretch their dollar when purchasing festive foods and Hari Raya goods in JB. At the Angsana Mall bazaar, for instance, a bottle of kueh typically costs between RM25 and RM45, with some vendors offering promotional bundles such as three for RM100. In comparison, similar kueh in Singapore are commonly sold at around three for SGD50 (approximately RM150). Even with the recent strengthening of the ringgit, these prices remain relatively attractive to Singaporean visitors.

The growth of this cross-border consumer base coincides with rising stall rental costs at Singapore’s Ramadan bazaars. In recent years, these costs have sparked considerable public debate, particularly following the return of full-scale bazaars in 2023 after pandemic-related cancellations. Some vendors and visitors argue that the high rentals are ultimately borne by consumers through higher prices, making Ramadan bazaars less affordable. Others criticise what they see as growing commercialisation, highlighting how trendy or “viral” foods are overshadowing the traditional and religious character of Ramadan bazaars.

Beyond festive consumption, Ramadan bazaars play an important role in supporting the local economy and creating entrepreneurial opportunities for small businesses.

While the Singapore government implemented rental caps in 2024 to moderate stall costs, “viral” or “IG-worthy” foods, often priced significantly higher than traditional foods, continue to feature prominently, as vendors seek to stand out in a competitive environment where social media visibility plays a significant role in attracting customers. With prices at Singapore’s Ramadan bazaars remaining relatively high, it is unsurprising that more Singaporeans are crossing the causeway in search of more affordable and traditional festive options.

That said, the growing presence of Singaporean consumers has raised concerns about the costs of everyday goods and festive items in Johor. While such concerns are not new, they have become more pronounced in recent years, especially during festive periods, with some JB residents reportedly scaling back spending at bazaars as they feel “priced out” of their own city. During Chinese New Year (CNY) this year, for instance, media reports highlighted how businesses at CNY bazaars adjusted prices to reflect the stronger purchasing power of Singaporean visitors, a trend some locals describe as “Singapore pricing”. Accordingly, some vendors observed slower sales this year as residents turned to online platforms, travelled to suburban areas where festive goods are generally more affordable or simply reduced their spending. Singapore’s March school holidays coinciding with the lead-up to Hari Raya may place additional upward pressure on prices, affecting affordability for locals making last-minute purchases. Indeed, some JB bazaar vendors are anticipating stronger business from Singaporean visitors this week, with sales expected to rise by about 30 per cent. If these price differences become more pronounced, Ramadan bazaars may see a similar shift in local consumer behaviour in the years ahead.

While the Johor state government has taken steps to keep Ramadan bazaar prices affordable, such as capping rental prices at RM500 for lots in certain town bazaars, the effectiveness of these measures remains uncertain. According to the latest DOSM data, food prices at Ramadan bazaars in Johor are among the highest, if not the highest, in the country. Left unaddressed, this could place additional financial strain on Johoreans, who are forced to contend not only with the usual festive price increases but also with pressures arising from cross-border demand. As JB continues to develop as a key cross-border consumption hub, authorities will need to strike a balance between leveraging strong Singaporean demand to stimulate the local economy with ensuring that festive bazaars remain accessible and affordable for locals.

In Malaysia and Singapore, Ramadan bazaars represent more than just sites of food consumption. They are social spaces where cross-border communities and traditions intersect, while generating a substantial seasonal economy that creates jobs and opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs. In JB, especially, strong cross-border demand alongside active local participation has positioned the city among Malaysia’s top-performing bazaar economies. Going forward, however, authorities will need to ensure that the pursuit of these gains does not come at the expense of local communities.

The cross-border demand at Ramadan bazaars has begun to translate into greater collaboration between Singaporean and Malaysian entrepreneurs. Already, hundreds of influencers, entrepreneurs and celebrities from both sides of the Causeway regularly trade at bazaar-style events in Singapore such as Absolute Bazaar and Celeb Fest, often drawing large crowds. Ramadan bazaars offer a useful blueprint for events that could support small entrepreneurs and further strengthen cross-border entrepreneurial linkages beyond the fasting month.

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