Frasers CentrePoint Trust

[swakoo]

As expected, OPMIs directed a lot of questions to FCT Mgt to get their thoughts/actions to handle the pending RTS "doomsday". 

Conceivably, a large part of the "doomsday" already arrived about 12 months ago. 

With the number of auto e-gates at both ends of the Causeway immigration hall checkpoints increased significantly and operating well. Resulting in virtually no queue at both checkpoints and only few seconds immigration clearance going in or out, when travelling by bus. (No need to pre-register either to be eligible to use auto e-gates.) 

A significant reduction in travel time compared to past days of manually cleared immigration. Already a game changer! (even before RTS end of 2026)

[weijian]

Conceivably, a large part of the "doomsday" already arrived about 12 months ago. 

With the number of auto e-gates at both ends of the Causeway immigration hall checkpoints increased significantly and operating well. Resulting in virtually no queue at both checkpoints and only few seconds immigration clearance going in or out, when travelling by bus. (No need to pre-register either to be eligible to use auto e-gates.) 

A significant reduction in travel time compared to past days of manually cleared immigration. Already a game changer! (even before RTS end of 2026)

Hi swakoo,

There seems to be concrete data now to support your anecdotal observation.

While, there are still other bottlenecks, like insufficient automobile capacity to cross the ~1.5km causeway, but I suppose that isn't a bigger concern (than checkpoints themselves) since the healthier ones are able to take matters into their own hands and walk. Anyways, they can burn their calories ahead/after those big meals in JB.

Since this is credit card spent, one bias of this data is that it excludes those smaller establishments that do not accept POS payments which charges the merchant a fee. So Sporeans' spending via direct bank transfers (paynow/duitnow), e-wallets and cash are excluded from the spending as discussed below and this may explains why services (eg. massages/salons etc) have not been discussed as a category.

From mala to mall: 5 ways Singaporeans are swiping more in Johor

Transactions are up sharply even as the average ticket size dips, suggesting consumers are crossing the Causeway more often and buying more frequently

Overall, spending by Singapore UOB cardholders in Malaysia climbed about 40 per cent annually between 2022 and 2024, with another 20 per cent year-on-year growth in H1 2025. Johor alone logged 60 per cent annual growth from 2022 to 2024, making it the undisputed top city for cross-border spending.

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/compani...es-markets

UOB PR: https://www.uobgroup.com/uobgroup/newsro...cr=segment

[EnSabahNur]

There's some doom and gloom with the idea that traffic and revenue going to Johor.

Does anyone think that this will help alleviate the rising costs in Singapore, actually benefiting other REITs, such as office REITs?

[swakoo]

Conceivably, a large part of the "doomsday" already arrived about 12 months ago. 
.

Hi swakoo,

There seems to be concrete data now to support your anecdotal observation.
.

Thanks weijian for highlighting. 

FCT's full year results released this morning. DPU yoy up 0.6% on half year and full year.

At the management call with analysts, an analyst asked about the tenant sales at Causeway Pt and Northpoint. CEO sensed and replied that this must be to find out about potential leakage to JB (these 2 malls being the closest to JB). He said from 2019 to now, overall tenant sales at these 2 malls grew more than 15% for CP and more than 20% for NP, or an average of 3 to 4% each year. 

The credit card data (even though it does not represent all the various spending mechanisms) shows increased spending cross border. So there is leakage but the degree of leakage is not having a negative impact on FCT. Even with the significantly strengthened SGD-MYR and the convenience of a lot more auto-gates taking care of the major travel bottlenecks over the past 1.5 years. Possibly mitigated by population growth in those catchment areas (and which will continue in coming years due to planned housing developments) among other factors (eg. curation or evolution of more leak-proof trade mix).