KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Malaysia is rolling out faster approvals and new funding mechanisms to draw high-impact investors to the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the initiatives are designed to enhance investor confidence and reduce regulatory friction.
Speaking at the second JS-SEZ Joint Investment Forum in Singapore, he highlighted his ministry’s new Fast-Track Manufacturing Licence.
The licence guarantees approval within seven working days for projects in non-sensitive industries in the JS-SEZ.
Johor’s No Objection Letter will also be issued within the same seven-day period to provide investors with quicker certainty.
Tengku Zafrul said the streamlined approach aims to attract high-technology and high-value manufacturing projects.
“The JS-SEZ exemplifies how bilateral complementarities can be harnessed for shared prosperity and regional resilience,” the minister said.
“By aligning strengths across borders — Malaysia’s industrial depth with Singapore’s global connectivity — we’re building a win-win platform for innovation, investment, and inclusive growth.”
He announced that the Strategic Co-Investment Fund will be leveraged under the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 to co-finance major projects.
An additional RM200 million from Budget 2026 will enable Malaysian SMEs in the JS-SEZ to expand capacity, adopt new technologies, and scale globally.
MITI is also reviewing the Malaysia-Singapore Business Development Fund to better align it with the JS-SEZ’s economic sectors.
Foreign investors can also now apply for a Multiple Entry Visa valid for up to 12 months through MIDA’s Investor Pass.
The initiative targets multinational firms, including those in electrical and electronics and family office sectors.
Tengku Zafrul then said the JS-SEZ represents “a blueprint for future-ready integration within ASEAN” through bilateral cooperation and shared prosperity.
