JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia: Given this southern Malaysian city's proximity, several of Johor Bahru's property development projects involving land reclamation work in the Straits of Johor have worried the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) due to the possible transboundary impact.

Having visited Johor Bahru five times over the past two-and-a-half decades, I have witnessed how it has transformed from a sleepy backwater into the bustling metropolis that it is today. During my current visit, which coincides with Merdeka Day commemorating Malaysia's independence from British rule, the city impressed me as a progressive hub of southern Malaysia and a bedroom community for many Malaysians working in Singapore.