JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor state government is considering the establishment of an ASEAN industrial park within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), aimed at attracting strategic investments from ASEAN and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries.
Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi outlined that the industrial park would focus on high-value sectors such as advanced manufacturing, green technology, and the digital economy. The park is envisioned to drive technology transfer, boost regional competitiveness, and diversify supply chains across ASEAN.
Onn Hafiz emphasized that the industrial park would offer customised incentives to foreign investors, including tax breaks, simplified talent mobility, and temporary relaxation of fund repatriation rules, making it an attractive proposition for RCEP-related investments.
“We aim to stimulate economic growth and job creation in the JS-SEZ and establish the region as a key investment destination for RCEP countries,” he stated during the JS-SEZ joint business and investment forum.
The JS-SEZ has already proven to be an investment hub, with RM27.4 billion in new investments approved in the first quarter of 2025, a substantial increase compared to RM48.5 billion in 2024. Additionally, another RM23 billion worth of projects are in the pipeline for April 2025.
Onn Hafiz highlighted the state government’s efforts to create an efficient and investor-friendly environment, noting the success of the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre-Johor (IMFC-J), launched in February 2025. The centre has significantly streamlined the investment process, enabling faster approvals for high-impact projects, with 42 such projects now under accelerated processing.
“We are committed to reducing bureaucratic delays. What traditionally took 24 months from briefing to operations can now be completed in just 13 to 14 months, saving nearly 10 months of processing time. Johor is serious, responsive, and ready for investments,” he affirmed.
