JS-SEZ master plan to be launched in December at leaders’ retreat, PMs Anwar and Wong to jointly unveil it in Malaysia

MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE: The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone master plan is on track for an official launch in December, with Malaysia’s Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir confirming the unveiling will take place at the annual leaders’ retreat and will be jointly conducted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

According to Invest Johor, Akmal Nasrullah made the announcement at a press conference on Friday following the Launching Ceremony of the Targeted SDG Programme at the National Level in 2026 in the Southern Region, saying the master plan launch is expected to strengthen the JS-SEZ’s position as a major regional investment destination.

“We expect that the annual leaders’ retreat will take place in December. So, one of the agendas highlighted during the retreat will be the launch of the JS-SEZ master plan,” he said.

Ahead of the leaders’ retreat, Akmal Nasrullah also said that he had met with Singapore’s National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat the previous day, with both sides agreeing to hold a ministerial-level meeting of the Johor-Singapore Cooperation Ministerial Committee in November. The November meeting is expected to lay the groundwork for the December launch.

Several issues tackled

Asked whether issues related to Network School might affect investor confidence, Akmal Nasrullah said the ministry’s focus remained on building investor confidence rather than getting drawn into specific disputes.

“I think we cannot get too caught up in the issue. The focus at the level of the Ministry of Economy is to continue to build the strength and confidence of investors; thus, the cooperation with Singapore will continue to remain strong and healthy,” he said, adding that the issue was not raised in his ministerial discussions because the parties were focused on the bigger agenda of expanding the JS-SEZ.

On concerns raised by Apex Securities about the risk of shipping route disruptions in the Strait of Malacca potentially affecting the national economy amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and Hormuz tensions, Akmal said the government would continue to focus on maintaining energy supply stability to ensure economic activity was not disrupted.

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