‘Am I stupid for giving up a SG job offer?’: Malaysian man, 27, has second thoughts about moving to Singapore for work 

SINGAPORE: A 27-year-old Malaysian has sparked discussion online after asking whether he would be “stupid” to turn down a job in Singapore in favour of staying home.

In a post on Reddit's r/MalaysianPF, he explained that he had received two offers: one in Malaysia, with a monthly salary of RM6,500, 20 days of annual leave (AL) and three days of work from the office (WFO), and another in Singapore, with a monthly salary of S$4,500, 14 days of AL and five days of WFO.

“To be honest, I am leaning towards the MY offer, even though financially the SG package is much more attractive.”

The local team, he said, “seems more fun,” and accepting the offer would mean he could continue living near his family and friends.

By contrast, he knows no one in Singapore and fears moving here on his own could eventually leave him feeling lonely or depressed.

“I know I'm potentially giving up a good opportunity for better financial and career growth, but I also value the support system I have here,” he wrote. “Am I making a stupid decision?”

‘Working life isn't fun in SG’

In the comments, many reassured him that choosing a familiar life in Malaysia over a bigger Singapore salary was hardly a daft move.

One Redditor pointed out that having colleagues you genuinely enjoy working with could make the daily grind considerably more bearable. “You said MY team is fun. That is important because you will be spending time with them 8 hours a day. Fun colleagues will make you look forward to going to work.”

Another highlighted Singapore’s high living costs, saying, “I'll choose S$6.5k, more annual leave, and being with fam and friends. Working life isn't fun in SG. Don't forget rentals are super expensive; here at least the rents are still cheap.”

A Malaysian working in Singapore also chimed in with their own experience, explaining: “The annual leave in Singapore is honestly not enough. Malaysia has about 6-7 more public holidays. Hence, your maximum off days in Malaysia (let's say 18PH+20AL) is way more than (SG 11PH+14AL). I've been here for about 5 years, barely saved much, as I have commitments (house, car, etc.) in Malaysia.” 

“Lonely and depressed seems about right with what I am facing for the past year, especially since I am an introvert. I'm feeling burnt out and thinking of packing up soon. Also, still single, hence, moving back wouldn't impact others in any way. Looking forward to returning back to my support system.”

Others, however, encouraged him to step outside his comfort zone while he was still young.

One told him, “Try SG first. You can resign anyway if you don’t like it. You’re still young. You’ll have plenty of time to be in MY.”/TISG

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