Forum: Level playing field for local retailers with RTS Link opening
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While market leaders like Sheng Siong have the scale to absorb margin squeezes ahead of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link opening, smaller heartland retailers, provision shops and independent grocers face disproportionate pressure (Sheng Siong prepared to adjust pricing, product mix to stay competitive after RTS opens: CEO, July 29).
A vibrant domestic retail trade is vital to Singapore’s broader economic ecosystem – supporting commercial real estate, logistics, warehousing and local employment.
Thriving heartland shops provide essential, accessible convenience for an ageing population and mobility-impaired residents who rely on neighbourhood stores, and also enrich our tourism appeal by offering authentic local culture.
A hollowing out of local retail would undermine this social and economic fabric.
To preserve retail resilience, the Government could consider calibrated fiscal measures on personal cross-border grocery imports. For instance, introducing a flat surcharge (say, $30) on grocery purchases from Malaysia exceeding a reasonable dollar threshold, paired with reduced GST on domestic essential staples.
Such measures would curb excessive Causeway grocery runs while keeping everyday essentials affordable locally, ensuring a fair, sustainable ecosystem for home-grown businesses in an interconnected region.
Cheong Wing Kiat
