The next Shenzhen: Johor-S'pore special economic zone's terms of reference in the works

ISKANDAR PUTERI – Further discussions between Malaysia and Singapore to create a Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will be followed by the agreement on terms of reference (TOR) next month, said Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Last July, the two countries agreed to create a special task force to study the establishment of the SEZ, which is expected to report its progress to the leaders at the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat scheduled for this October.

"God willing, this October, during the Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore which will be attended by the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Prime Minister of Singapore, this matter will be discussed further and will then be followed up with the approval of the TOR," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Onn Hafiz, who is the state assemblyman for Machap, was speaking said at the 15th Johor State Legislative Assembly meeting here today.

He said the Johor-Singapore SEZ could make Johor like the city of Shenzhen which flourished after four decades of being a SEZ. He noted that in just four decades, Shenzhen has changed from a small city with a population of around 300,000 people to a high-tech international metropolis with a population of over 17 million people.

"What Shenzhen has achieved proves that the Johor-Singapore SEZ can produce the best results for Johor. However, this matter definitely requires help and cooperation from all parties, from the Singapore government as well as the federal government," he said. 

The matter was among the issues broached during a meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his counterpart Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore yesterday.

Anwar had told reporters later that the zone would soon become an alternative for global company managers based in Singapore to reside.

“The area will make their journey easier... live in more comfortable conditions... a better atmosphere with facilities including international schools, golf clubs and easy travel through the Second Link,” he said.

Due to the the high cost of management in Singapore, investors can continue to work in Singapore and live in Johor, he explained. – The Vibes, September 14, 2023