JOHOR BARU: The Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is poised to reshape cross-border growth, opening up opportunities in advanced manufacturing, smart logistics, financial services and tourism.
The outlook was presented at the Bridging Growth Across Borders forum on Aug 21, organised by Knight Frank Malaysia and Knight Frank Singapore, which drew more than 200 government leaders, industry captains and investors from both sides of the Causeway.
Knight Frank Malaysia research and consultancy executive director Amy Wong said the JS-SEZ, four times larger than Singapore and twice the size of Shenzhen, is designed to attract global investors through nine flagship zones spanning 11 high-value sectors.
“Companies can leverage the strengths of both sides of the Causeway by locating operations in Johor while maintaining headquarters and research functions in Singapore,” she said.
Key growth nodes include Kulai–Sedenak for artificial intelligence, quantum computing and medical devices; Senai–Skudai for aerospace manufacturing and maintenance, repair, and operations services; Iskandar Puteri for business services; and Tanjung Pelepas for smart logistics.
Forest City is earmarked as a financial hub, while Desaru–Penawar will anchor integrated tourism projects.
Infrastructure upgrades are set to underpin the JS-SEZ’s rise, notably the Johor–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS), slated for completion by end-2026.
The RTS will cut travel time to just five minutes, carry 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction between Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North, and ease congestion on the Causeway, which now handles more than 400,000 daily crossings.
Wong said the JS-SEZ would not only accelerate high-tech and sustainable growth but also cement Johor’s role as a key regional hub for manufacturing, logistics and services.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
