'Not young anymore': Shaun Chen moves family to JB, enrols daughters in international school

After years of residing in Singapore, Shaun Chen has moved his family to Johor Bahru (JB).

The 45-year-old Malaysian actor shared in a report by Lianhe Zaobao today (Sept 3) that his wife Celine and their daughters Nellie, nine, and Neia, seven, have been living in a rented home in JB's Eco Botanic City since Aug 1.

"I am not young anymore and will eventually return to Malaysia when I retire. Since my daughters are still young, we have enrolled them in an international school in JB," he shared.

Shaun, who is a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), added that the travelling time from the Tuas Causeway to his JB home takes only about 30 minutes, which is "very convenient". His family's living expenses have also been reduced by about 30 per cent.

He also shared that they are looking to purchase a house in Eco Botanic City and revealed that they had actually bought a home in that area many years ago but sold it during the Covid-19 pandemic as it was vacant. Since their move to JB, Shaun has also sold his home in Singapore.

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About whether the move will affect his acting career, he said: "There's not much change. If there are acting opportunities, I will go to Singapore and travel between the two countries."

Speaking about Nellie and Neia in their new school, Shaun shared that both of them have studied there for a month now and are adapting well to the environment and school work. The girls are also PRs.

"The best thing about studying in an international school is that besides not having too much homework, it also cultivates the children's abilities to think independently. At the age of six or seven, they are very willing to express their opinions and have a mind of their own."

When asked whether the school fees for an international school in JB are exorbitant, Shaun shared that they are generally the same, as fees for PRs in Singapore schools are also "not cheap".

"In addition, with the costs for after-school care, the amount is almost the same as the school fees for international schools [in JB]," he shared.

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com