Indonesians love shopping when traveling abroad, especially when they find items at lower prices—it can sometimes lead to impulsive buying. In Johor Bahru, Malaysia, there’s a new shopping destination focused on electronics, gadgets, mobile phones, and accessories. Its target audience includes Indonesians entering Malaysia via Johor Bahru. Every year, at least 600,000 Indonesians from Batam use this entry point.
Last weekend, Berjaya Waterfront Sdn Bhd in Johor invited bloggers and media representatives from Batam to witness the launch of the new shopping center. Named Techworld, it’s a hub for electronics, mobile phones, and accessories, located in an integrated complex at the southern gateway to Malaysia.
Our journey began early in the morning at Harbour Bay Port in Batuampar. A group of six of us boarded the Oceanna 175, a new aluminum ferry with a capacity of 433 passengers. This Harbour Bay–Stulang Laut route to Johor is also newly introduced. The ferry featured VIP facilities on the upper deck, including karaoke rooms and sleeping areas.
The trip from Harbour Bay to Stulang Laut took about two hours. We arrived at the port, which is part of an integrated complex comprising a mall, entertainment venues, and a hotel. Previously known as The Zone, the complex has been taken over by Berjaya Waterfront Sdn Bhd, now managing the Berjaya Waterfront Ferries and Mall. The port is seamlessly connected to the mall and the hotel.
Upon arrival, the launch event for Techworld began. It was inaugurated by Avinderjit Singh, Director of Berjaya Waterfront Sdn Bhd, on the mall’s first floor. The event was attended by Haris Nugroho, Indonesian Consul General in Johor Bahru. Rajpal Singh, Singaporean Consul General for Johor; and Datuk Seri Tey Kim Chai, President of the Johor Bahru Chinese Association.
The mall was bustling from early morning, with visitors lining up to get 50% discount coupons for mobile phones. Imagine buying a Samsung S9 for half the price with one of these coupons! The line formed long before the event began. Even on regular days, the prices for electronics, laptops, and mobile phones at Techworld are significantly cheaper than elsewhere.
For example, the Samsung S9+ 256GB is priced at RM 4,999, while the Samsung S9+ 64GB costs RM 3,799—before discounts. For more affordable options, the Vivo V7 is available for RM 999–1,399, and Xiaomi phones, known for their budget-friendly pricing, are also available. In fact, Techworld houses the first Xiaomi concept store in southern Malaysia.
According to Tan Yew Chuan, Senior GM of Berjaya Waterfront Sdn Bhd, the lower prices for electronics and mobile phones are due to the complex being in a duty-free zone. Products at Techworld are GST-exempt, making them around 10% cheaper than in Batam.
Techworld occupies the second level of the mall, with 25 stores offering a wide range of local and international electronics and mobile phone brands, such as Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, Huawei, Apple, Honor, HP, Lenovo, Acer, Sony, and MSI. It is also home to Xiaomi’s first concept store in southern Malaysia.
In addition to electronics, Berjaya Waterfront Mall offers duty-free stores selling chocolates, alcoholic beverages, and perfumes on its first floor. Due to its strategic location at Malaysia’s southern entry point, Techworld primarily targets Indonesian tourists from Batam who frequently use this route.
We explored the stores before heading back to Batam. We also checked out the clubs, pubs, and entertainment venues in the complex, though they were closed since it was still early in the evening—these spots open at 6 PM. So, we settled for taking photos in front of the clubs. An hour later, we returned to Batam.