Malaysia targets March launch for Johor-Singapore SEZ blueprint, masterplan
Malaysia is confident the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone will deliver tangible outcomes for businesses, workers and communities in Malaysia and Singapore, said a statement from Malaysia's Economy Ministry.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is targeting a March launch for the Johor-Singapore Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) blueprint and masterplan, according to its Ministry of Economy.
In a statement on Friday (Jan 30), the ministry confirmed that, following a courtesy call from Singapore’s Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat to Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Akmal Nasir, the SEZ was moving from “planning to implementation”.
The blueprint and masterplan will outline the long-term vision, priority sectors, key zones, and implementation roadmap for the JS-SEZ, the statement said. These will cover the zone’s governance, incentives, infrastructure and talent plans.
Both countries hope the zone will create 20,000 skilled jobs and facilitate the expansion of 50 projects in the first five years, before hitting 100 projects in the first 10 years.
The statement comes after Chee met Akmal in Putrajaya on Thursday, where they discussed urban planning and sustainable development as well as the momentum behind the JS-SEZ.
“Malaysia and Singapore reaffirmed the JS-SEZ as a key pillar of bilateral economic ties,” said the statement by Malaysia’s Economy Ministry.
It added that the SEZ will combine “Johor’s scale and resources with Singapore’s capital technology and global connectivity to attract high-value investments, strengthen supply chains, and create quality jobs for communities on both sides of the Causeway”.
The Economy Ministry said on Friday that the two ministers also discussed strengthening the Johor–Singapore Cooperation Ministerial Committee (JSCMC) to provide clearer oversight and stronger focus on economic cooperation, especially under the JS-SEZ agenda.
The final governance structure for the committee will be tabled at the next JSCMC meeting in Singapore.
Both sides also agreed that Johor-Singapore cooperation is a long-term partnership built on trust, policy continuity and shared benefits, the Economy Ministry said.
They also welcomed continued collaboration in key areas such as high-value investments, digitalisation, sustainable development, and talent development, which support the implementation of the JS-SEZ.
“The Minister of Economy expressed confidence that, with disciplined execution and sustained cooperation, the JS-SEZ and JSCMC will deliver tangible outcomes for businesses, workers and communities in Malaysia and Singapore,” the ministry added.
Akmal’s predecessor Rafizi Ramli had said on May 19 last year that the JS-SEZ blueprint would be launched by the end of 2025, local media reported.
The blueprint is a comprehensive roadmap outlining the zone's long-term development strategy, investment prospects and policy direction, he said then, describing it as a one-stop document for potential investors, policymakers and the public.
Rafizi made the announcement at the JS-SEZ Partners Dialogue: Advancing Facilitation event, which saw six major local and international banks signing letters of intent with the Ministry of Economy to help bring in investments to the zone.
But Rafizi quit the Cabinet at the end of May 2025 after losing in his party’s internal polls.
Malaysia and Singapore formally signed an agreement in January 2025 to create the zone that aims to attract 100 projects worth RM100 billion (US$25 billion) within its first decade and create some 100,000 new jobs in high-value economic sectors.
