Johor to host ASEAN-led Smart City Forum as 90% of pilot projects near completion

JOHOR BAHRU: Johor is stepping confidently into the future of urban living. This September, the state will organise the Johor Smart City Forum (JSCF) 2025, bringing together leaders and experts from Singapore, Korea, Indonesia, Brunei, and Thailand to share strategies on shaping smarter, more sustainable cities, as reported by New Straits Times (NST).

More than just a showcase of technology, the event marks a milestone for Johor. According to Johor Local Government and Housing Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor, an impressive 90% of the state’s 55 Smart City Blueprint pilot projects are already complete. He described this as proof of the government’s commitment to ensuring the smart city agenda remains central to Johor’s development.

Smart cities, local pride

The Johor Smart City Blueprint 2030, introduced in 2023, isn’t just a policy paper — it’s a roadmap. With 29 policies, 54 strategies, and 111 projects, it sets Johor on a path to becoming a smart state by 2030

Furthermore, NST also reported that at the upcoming forum, seven more local councils, including Muar, Pontian, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Simpang Renggam, Labis, and Yong Peng, will unveil their own Smart City Action Plans. This will make Johor one of the first states in Malaysia with comprehensive smart city strategies mapped out at the local level.

Johor is also aligning with national goals. All 16 local authorities in the state are now part of the National Smart City Platform’s Smart City Rating programme, a move that benchmarks their progress against global best practices.

These efforts also seek to become tangible improvements for residents; they may help improve traffic management, provide safer streets, and create more efficient utilities and digital services that make daily life smoother.

A forum for the region

The three-day JSCF 2025, happening from Sep 22 to 24 at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre, promises more than just policy talk. Visitors can expect over 40 exhibitions, technology showcases, robotics competitions, forums, and the Smart City Awards, and best of all, admission will be free to the public, opening the door for ordinary Johoreans to experience how technology is shaping their cities.

For the first time, the forum will also feature ASEAN, international, and national dialogues where state leaders responsible for urban development will exchange experiences — an opportunity for Johor to position itself as a regional leader in smart urban transformation.

Why it matters for Singapore

For Singapore, Johor’s smart city journey isn’t just something happening across the Causeway. It is something that could shape daily life within the republic as well, with both regions already linked through the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). Ultimately, this smart city push could add another layer of connection.

Smarter systems in Johor could mean less time stuck in jams and more seamless cross-border living. This can lead to smoother traffic at checkpoints, greener townships across the border, and digital services that make it easier for Singaporeans who commute, shop, or invest in Johor.

For those who seek to create businesses, the opportunities are just as exciting. From AI-powered urban planning to renewable energy and digital governance, Singaporean firms may find themselves co-creating solutions that benefit both economies.

In many ways, Johor’s “smart city” vision mirrors Singapore’s own Smart Nation drive. Together, the two neighbours have the chance to show that innovation doesn’t stop at borders — it thrives when cities work hand in hand.

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