Johor: Tengku Zafrul defends federal role in JS-SEZ

MALAYSIA: The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) has become one of the main battlegrounds in the Johor election, and now, it is for Tengku Zafrul Aziz, a former minister in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, to defend the project.

The Zafrul, senior political adviser to the prime minister, said the JS-SEZ was a federal government initiative, in response to criticism of delays in the implementation of a master plan. He has urged these critics not to turn the project into a platform for political drama. Today, he said the federal government has been doing the groundwork for the initiative, with a massive RM77 billion in investment already approved, and 57% of it is in the implementation stage.

“That is not slow. We focus on doing the work!” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“The JS-SEZ is a joint initiative backed by both the Malaysian and Singaporean governments,” he said, adding that facts must not be distorted.

He said the state of Johor has a role in the project, but “We respect every partner’s role and contribution. Yet, let’s not distort the facts or sideline the government’s primary role just because of election politics.”

The Johor menteri besar, Onn Hafiz Ghazi, had accused the federal government of repeatedly delaying the launch of the JS-SEZ master plan. Hafiz also claimed that the master plan was a Malaysian government document and did not require Singapore’s approval for launch.

Hafiz said the blueprint had gone through the necessary consultation process with the Singapore government, and all that remained was for Putrajaya to launch it. He was responding to Anwar on the matter, hitting at the Prime Minister for allegedly misleading the public on the real reasons the project is delayed.

Zafrul said the federal government secured Singapore’s agreement to move forward together, created the initiative, and attracted investments through the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and related agencies.

The JS-SEZ is a massive cross-border economic region spanning over 3,500 square kilometres.

Launched by Malaysia and Singapore, it combines Johor’s land and labour resources with Singapore’s financial and logistical capabilities to create a seamless, high-value business hub.