JS-SEZ safe bet for investors amid global tensions, says Iskandar Investment CEO
IIB president and CEO Idzham Hashim said Johor's strategic location and political stability have helped it remain among Malaysia's top three destinations for foreign direct investment in recent years.
ISKANDAR PUTERI : The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) offers investors a secure proposition amid growing global uncertainty, Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) president and CEO Idzham Hashim said today.
He said Johor's strategic location and political stability had helped it remain among Malaysia's top three destinations for foreign direct investment in recent years.
'Despite the fact that many politicians all over the world are trying to make the world smaller, the majority believe globalisation is key to uplifting the quality of life.
'Because of our location and the strong relationship between Malaysia and Singapore – and Malaysia's good relationship with all nations – we are in a good position to capitalise on this,' he said at the Nikkei Forum Medini Johor 2025 co-organised by IIB here today.
Idzham said in today's uncertain political climate, the formalisation of JS-SEZ had been crucial to ensuring its long-term competitiveness.
The zone was formally established in January through an agreement between Malaysia and Singapore to boost economic connectivity between the state and the republic.
It aims to attract 100 projects worth RM100 billion and create about 100,000 jobs in high-value sectors such as manufacturing, digital economy, logistics, clean energy, and tourism over the next decade.
Spanning nine flagship zones, including Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang, JS-SEZ offers competitive tax incentives and streamlined regulations to attract global investors.
The initiative has begun to draw strong interest from investors in Japan, South Korea, China and Europe, positioning Johor as a strategic gateway to the Asean market.
Idzham said the region's relatively low operating cost made it especially appealing.
'The cost of doing business in Johor is almost 60% cheaper than in Singapore and almost 30% cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur.
'We have the ability to help (Singaporean businesses) scale up, reduce their cost of doing business, and give them the space they need to grow,' he said.
At a time when cross-border dynamics are easily politicised, Idzham reframed Johor-Singapore ties as collaborative rather than competitive.
He said the two neighbours, separated only by the Johor Strait, each brought unique strengths to the table and complemented one another economically.
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