The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), for which the agreement was formalised in January, has been lauded as a counterbalance to a global economic environment that looks increasingly “closed”.
Ease of movement along with talent development will help to spur growth in the JS-SEZ, noted Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi, on Tuesday (14 Oct).
He was speaking at a fireside chat with Beh Swan Gin, permanent secretary at Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, at the second JS-SEZ joint investment forum, which was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
Onn Hafiz and his team have been meeting with experts from universities, such as Harvard and Oxford, to explore how Johor can leverage their skills and knowledge through collaborations – a move that Singapore’s government started making decades ago, he noted.
These meetings are part of a wider effort to develop talent in the Malaysian state. Onn Hafiz said he and his team also meet regularly with their counterparts in Singapore, with such events helping them “elevate” themselves as leaders.
The cross-border JS-SEZ aims to marry Johor’s abundant land and resources with Singapore’s connectivity and capital, and show that smaller economies can still thrive amid broader global uncertainties. The zone has also been touted as a model for further integration between ASEAN economies.
Johor and Singapore have signed various memorandums of understanding to strengthen their cooperation in technical and vocational education. These include partnerships between Singapore Polytechnic and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, as well as between Singapore’s ITE Education Services and the Johor Skills Development Centre.
The hope is that providing a steady supply of skilled workers, alongside pro-business policies, will attract companies to set up or expand operations in the JS-SEZ.
