Johor Bahru is one of the three major cities in the Malay Peninsula (Kuala Lumpur and Penang), and Johor Bahru is an important industrial and commercial city. Its large enterprises include electronics, resources, petrochemical refineries and shipbuilding. Johor Bahru is generally regarded as the hinterland of Singapore facing Malaysian market, and their functions are similar to those of Shenzhen and Hongkong in China.
The presence of Singaporean enterprises and tourists is remarkable. Many shopping centers in Johor Bahru cater to the needs of Singaporean tourists, who take advantage of the strong Singapore dollar to come to Singapore for shopping and entertainment. Therefore, the retail market of Johor Bahru is highly developed in a city of its size. The main shopping area is located in the city, and some large shopping centers are located in the suburbs.
Johor Bahru has a close economic relationship with Singapore. In Singapore, wages there are equivalent to jobs higher than those in Malaysia, and there are a large number of residents working in Johor Bahru. This is the Singapore dollar, July16,2011,or about 2.47 Malaysian ringgit. For the same reason, many Singaporeans live in Johor Bahru or visit shopping, entertainment and dining cities. Many Singaporeans own properties, businesses and factories in Johor Bahru.