PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed assertions made by Johor Barisan Nasional leader Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi regarding the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), saying the project is a federal initiative carried out in close cooperation with the state government.
He said it was incorrect to suggest that the JS-SEZ falls solely under the jurisdiction of the Johor Menteri Besar, clarifying that it is a federal-level undertaking involving direct collaboration between Malaysia and Singapore.
“Issues such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) are not under the Menteri Besar alone, that is not true, and this has already been clarified by the Minister of Economy yesterday. This is a federal government project, of course implemented in cooperation with the state government.
“The signing of the agreement is between the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Prime Minister of Singapore. It has not even reached the stage of the Menteri Besar.
“So, there is no need to turn this into an issue. The implementation is ongoing; it involves substantial expenditure and has the support of the federal government.
“It is ungrateful, and to use this as a campaign issue is inappropriate and not wise,” he said when met after attending prayers at Masjid As-Sodiqin on Friday.
His remarks came in response to statements by Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who had reportedly said that the JS-SEZ master plan was already completed and should not be delayed further, arguing that it was crucial for providing certainty to investors and guiding Johor’s economic development.
Onn Hafiz had also said that the master plan was initially scheduled for release at the end of 2025 before being rescheduled to March 30, and subsequently postponed again. - July 3, 2026
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