Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone could get power-up with Indonesia's Bintan, Batam, Karimun
The three South-east Asian neighbours held discussions to advance trilateral cooperation and floated plans to expand the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) to include the Riau Islands, revealed Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong on Thursday (Jul 3).
DPM Gan, who is also minister for trade and industry, met Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and Malaysia's Minister of Trade, Investment and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz last week.
'We discussed how we can strengthen Johor-Singapore and Singapore-BBK (Batam-Bintan-Karimun),' said DPM Gan. 'The idea is that three will be even stronger than two.'
He added: 'We will continue to work with Johor on the JS-SEZ; we will work with BBK; and at the same time, explore how all three can work together as a grouping.'
DPM Gan, who was speaking at a dialogue during the Asean Conference, said that this will enhance the region's attractiveness to businesses looking to invest.
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Titled 'Asean integration in the multipolar world', the panel featured Liew Chin Tong, Malaysia's deputy minister of investment, trade and industry; and Tirta Nugraha Mursitama, Indonesia's deputy minister for investment cooperation at the Ministry of Investment and Downstream Industry.
The hour-long session was moderated by Singapore Business Federation chief executive officer Kok Ping Soon.
'(Businesses will) look at not just Singapore, not just Johor, not just Indonesia, but all three regions together,' noted DPM Gan. 'This will offer them a lot more options, a lot more choices and, at the same time, more advantage to operate in this region.'
The landmark JS-SEZ pact was inked in January, with the zone covering an area of more than 3,500 square kilometres, roughly four times the size of Singapore.
Some four-fifths of the over 700 projects approved by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority in Johor last year were located in the zone, underscoring its attractiveness, the agency's chief executive told The Business Times in April this year.
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