SINGAPORE: The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is fast emerging as an attractive investment destination for companies that might not have eyed either market individually.
The zone could also serve as a catalyst for Singaporean and Malaysian companies to expand their presence in the region.
These were the views from panellists who spoke at a session on the second and final day of the Asia Future Summit, held at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore hotel.
Esther Teo, director of the Economic Development Board’s (EDB) JS-SEZ Programme Office, said the zone opens up opportunities for the agency to engage with more companies, especially those that might not have considered Johor or Singapore as individual investment destinations.
“Now that we have kind of put the two together, it has become a much more compelling value proposition for companies and businesses. So I can see that it has helped to really broaden the sales funnel for us, allowing us to engage companies in sectors or markets that we have not focused on before,” she said.
In the first half of 2025, Johor already attracted RM56 billion (S$17.2 billion) in investments, primarily driven by initiatives like the JS-SEZ.
Johor investment, trade, consumer affairs and human resources committee chairman Lee Ting Han said he saw continued momentum in the JS-SEZ in the quarter ended September, adding that he is confident Johor can meet its target of attracting up to RM100 billion in investments by the end of 2025.
He also said the JS-SEZ could be a good opportunity for companies in Singapore and Malaysia to rethink their economic strategies.
