Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) attracted 19 billion USD in approved investments in 2025, with more than 57% of cumulative approved projects already entering the implementation stage.
Malaysian Minister of Economy Akmal Nasrullah noted the momentum continued in the first quarter of 2026, with 1.3 billion USD in new approved investments, demonstrating the zone's sustained growth even before its master plan is officially unveiled.
Investors’ confidence in the JS-SEZ remains strong. During the first five months of 2026, the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre Johor (IMFC-J) handled 285 investment enquiries with a combined potential value of 18.5 billion USD.
The figures indicate that the zone's economic potential is increasingly translating into tangible projects rather than remaining at the planning stage, he said, stressing that cross-border development has continued without waiting for the official launch of the master plan.
The Malaysian government, the Johor state administration and relevant agencies are working closely to facilitate investment, develop infrastructure, strengthen workforce capabilities, and improve customs and border connectivity.
Efforts to deepen international cooperation and strengthen supply chains have also been stepped up through initiatives such as the JS-SEZ Executive Forum, which brought together strategic partners from Italy and across Europe. Malaysia has also held engagement sessions with diplomatic missions and businesses from dozens of countries to broaden its global partnership network.
Regarding technical infrastructure, Malaysia is accelerating preparations for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) rail link connecting Johor and Singapore, reinforcing its commitment to developing the special economic zone.
The Ministry of Economy said the Malaysian government remains committed to Johor's long-term development and is focused on establishing a solid implementation framework before launching the JS-SEZ master plan at an appropriate time.
The long-term goal is to attract more high-quality investment and position Johor as a leading regional investment and economic hub, thus delivering sustainable benefits to local communities./.
Malaysia, Singapore to introduce digital immigration system
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the initiative will be launched jointly with his Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence Wong, once all technical preparations and infrastructure have been completed. The new system will feature more advanced movement procedures to facilitate travel between Singapore and Johor.
