Johor-Singapore SEZ deal signing postponed after PM Wong tests positive for COVID-19: Malaysia PM Anwar
The signing was originally planned for during the annual Singapore-Malaysia Leader’s Retreat scheduled from Dec 8-9 in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya on Jun 12, 2024. (Photo: Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia/Sadiq Asyraf)
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JOHOR BAHRU: The signing of a deal between Malaysia and Singapore on a proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern Johor state - originally planned for Dec 9 during the annual leaders’ retreat - has been postponed to January, said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the decision was made after Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong tested positive for COVID-19.
During a speech in the Malaysian senate on Wednesday, Mr Anwar said: "The Malaysia government (was scheduled to) sign an agreement with Singapore on the Johor-Singapore SEZ on Dec 9.
But last night, the prime minister of Singapore informed me that (he has) COVID and hence the signing of the agreement … will be postponed to January.”
“This is the latest info I have, he told me that he did not want to infect me or (my wife) Azizah,” he added.
The Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat was scheduled to be held from Dec 8 to Dec 9 in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya, according to regional media.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Wong thanked Mr Anwar and his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, for sending over a "Get Well Soon" package which comprised a basket of fruits - including grapes, oranges and blueberries - and a packet of "premium seafood crab meat fish maw soup".
"Was supposed to go to KL for our annual Leaders' Retreat, but had to postpone it due to my COVID infection," wrote Mr Wong.
"We are in the midst of finding new dates. Look forward to meeting again soon!" he added.
On Tuesday (Dec 3), Mr Wong posted on Facebook that he had tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time and will self-isolate while working from home.
"Initially I thought it might just be a normal flu bug. But I just took a test to be sure. Turns out, I’ve finally succumbed to COVID after all these years!" he wrote.
"I’m feeling fine overall, and will self-isolate while working from home."
Mr Wong recently visited Bangkok at the invitation of his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Before that, he was at the APEC summit in Peru and G20 summit in Brazil.
In November, Johor chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said that the joint agreement of the Johor-Singapore SEZ would be signed on Dec 9, during the retreat.
According to reports from Malaysian media, the retreat would see both governments advance discussions on various matters, including the SEZ, environmental issues as well as on connectivity.
The upcoming retreat would be Mr Wong’s first in his current capacity as prime minister of Singapore.
