The Johore Strait separates the highly prosperous city-state of Singapore from the rapidly developing economic "tiger" of Malaysia. As the film illustrates, they are nevertheless extremely interdependent. Johore Barhu, the second largest city in Malaysia, changed radically at the beginning of the 1980's when its growth was stimulated by Singapore's expansion. Thousands of Malaysians streamed in from the provinces like Zacaria Bin Samion who moved to Johore Barhu with his family so he could work in construction. Noriah Tahir is among the 25,000 Malaysian workers who cross the border into Singapore every day. She started out as a simple factory worker in an electronics factory and today is a skilled worker in charge of quality control for microprocessors, earning three times what she would in Malaysia.

Prof. Kesavapany, University of Singapore, discusses the history of the two formerly British territories and the economic "miracle" of Singapore. Nowadays, many Singaporians come to Johore to have a wild night out or to go shopping in Malaysia where things cost less. Malaysia has made the decision to compete with Singapore and has built a new container port in Johore. In spite of the tensions and temptations to compete with each other, a second border bridge between the two states was inaugurated in 1999, freeing up traffic and encouraging exchange between the two countries.

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"Recommended....this film does provide a good brief introduction to the Singapore region, and to some of the ethnic and economic dimensions of life there. It is recommended for academic libraries. By presenting multiple viewpoints in a concise manner, it could serve as a good stimulant for classroom discussions of globalization, migration, and ethnic relations."
Educational Media Reviews Online