Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: Johor has RM23bil worth of projects in the pipeline for April, said Mentri Besar (MB) Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He noted that Johor has already recorded RM27.4bil in new investments in the first quarter of this year, a strong early signal of the momentum behind the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
“For April, there is another RM23bil worth of projects in the pipeline, reflecting the trust that investors – both domestic and international – place in Johor,” he said in his opening remarks at the JS-SEZ Joint Business and Investment Forum yesterday.
He noted that the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre-Johor (IMFC-J) has streamlined the state’s investment processes, including the introduction of a fast-track mechanism called the Johor Super Lane, which significantly reduces bureaucratic delays for priority investments.
Since its launch, IMFC-J has handled 252 investment enquiries, with 42 high-impact projects now under accelerated processing, he said.
“What used to take up to 24 months from briefing to operations can now be achieved in just 13 to 14 months – a time-saving of almost 10 months,” said Onn Hafiz.
He added that the US tariff issue is a crisis, it also highlights the urgency of making the JS-SEZ a reality, and, in turn, future-proofing the economy.
To this end, the MB proposed two initiatives to strengthen the JS-SEZ, namely the Asean Industrial Park and Johor regulatory sandbox, both to be set up within the zone.
He said the industrial park would attract strategic investments from member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, focusing on high-value sectors such as advanced manufacturing, green technology and the digital economy.
“We also hope it will offer customised incentives – such as tax breaks, simplified talent mobility and temporary relaxation of fund repatriation rules – to make the park highly attractive to foreign investors.”
The Johor government also proposed the creation of a Johor regulatory sandbox, which would create a supervised, flexible environment for testing innovative technologies, policies and business models, particularly in emerging sectors constrained by existing regulations.
“We can start with areas like the Ibrahim Technopolis, Ladang Air Manis and Forest City to attract investment and foster cross-border innovation in areas such as financial technology, smart logistics, renewable energy and autonomous tech.
“Through time-limited regulatory exemptions, the sandbox will enable participating companies, universities and consortiums to achieve faster development cycles, public-private collaboration and real-world policy experimentation.
“We trust that these proposals will receive the necessary consideration and support from our federal and Singaporean colleagues,” Onn Hafiz said.
Meanwhile, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz welcomed both proposals.
“I think they align with Asean’s aspirations to enhance supply chain efficiency and resilience. I think work needs to begin quickly and we hope to get MTI (Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry) support as well,” he added.
At the event, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong reaffirmed his country’s support for strengthening the fundamentals of the JS-SEZ to enhance its overall value proposition.
Gan, who is also Trade and Industry minister, pointed out that Singapore would help strengthen the business ecosystem by streamlining approval processes, investing in talent development and establishing a single touchpoint for businesses.
“In particular, on Singapore’s end, MTI, together with EnterpriseSG and Economic Development Board have established a joint project office to support Singapore-based companies keen to expand and do more in the JS-SEZ.
“This will complement the IMFC-J established by Malaysia,” he said, adding that they would also look at simplifying clearance processes and customs procedures to improve flow of goods and people between Singapore and Johor.
