Invest Johor names five priority sectors for Nexus Sedenak, the new JS-SEZ hub targeting RM12 billion and 45,000 jobs
Johor Bahru
MALAYSIA: Invest Johor has identified five priority sectors for Nexus Sedenak, a new industrial and supply chain hub in the northern part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), according to Invest Johor, citing The Star.
Invest Johor Chief Executive Natazha Hariss said the focus areas are advanced manufacturing, integrated logistics, agricultural and food technology, green technology, and pharmaceuticals.
He said Nexus Sedenak’s infrastructure and access to major transport networks make it attractive to both local and international investors. Investment and job targets will be reached in phases, in line with infrastructure readiness and the arrival of investment projects.
“Invest Johor will continue working with developers, relevant agencies and industry players to help accelerate investment realisation, and to ensure the local community benefits from job opportunities,” he was quoted as saying.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, presenting Budget 2027 on Oct 9, said Nexus Sedenak would become a new growth hub in the northern JS-SEZ, with potential investments of RM12 billion and 45,000 jobs.
Anwar also announced a “Queen Bee” approach, under which a special task force will coordinate negotiations across agencies to attract leading companies in strategic sectors to the JS-SEZ.
How the Queen Bee approach works
Natazha said Nexus Sedenak and the Queen Bee strategy complement each other. “Nexus Sedenak will open up a new industrial growth area, while the Queen Bee approach will help attract leading global companies together with their supply chain ecosystems,” he said.
The idea is that anchor companies bring more than their own investment. Their arrival draws suppliers, technology partners and supporting firms that cluster around them, deepening the local industrial base.
He said the special task force would improve coordination between federal and state agencies on investors’ needs, including approvals, infrastructure, utilities and workforce. “Decision-making and investment implementation processes can be simplified and accelerated with more integrated coordination,” he said.
Invest Johor will act as the liaison between investors and relevant agencies, he added, with the next priority being to turn these initiatives into actual investments, high-value jobs and wider benefits for local companies and residents.
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Why this matters for Singapore
Nexus Sedenak extends the JS-SEZ’s industrial footprint northwards, beyond the established corridors around Johor Bahru and Iskandar Puteri. The Queen Bee approach, focused on anchor firms and their supply chains, could create openings for Singapore-based companies in logistics, advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals to serve as partners or suppliers.
It also comes weeks ahead of the JS-SEZ masterplan launch at the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat in December.