‘Live a good life’: Why these Singaporeans left the corporate world to be farmers in Johor
‘Live a good life’: Why these Singaporeans left the corporate world to be farmers in Johor
Limited land in Singapore have pushed some residents across the Causeway in search of space and self-sufficiency.
Once an office worker in Singapore, Mr Imran Aljunied now spends long days in Ulu Tiram, Johor, tending to crops. But for him, the trade-off brings independence and purpose.
“I believe in the concept of a farmer as a caretaker of the land. To be able to live a good life, while being in service of nature.”
In Desaru, former psychologist Nabilah Bagarib and her husband Ashraf Bakar run a vast farm with sheep, camels and ostriches. What began as a modest venture has grown into a regional business and recreational destination for visitors.
For Mr Ashraf, who previously worked in construction and trade, making the leap has been rewarding. He now earns more than before, and describes the farm as an “evergreen” and “intergenerational” business.
Singapore permanent resident Will Chua gave up a six-figure annual salary in Singapore to start his own farm. “I started to realise what I found meaningful in life and I realised I didn’t need a lot to be happy.”
