Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia has announced a strategic plan to boost its landscape product exports to Singapore, aiming for a target of RM500 million by 2026, as confirmed by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. The target is considered attainable through strategic bilateral cooperation and robust diplomatic relations between the neighboring countries.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nga emphasized the need for careful planning to realize this goal and announced his upcoming visit to Singapore. During his visit, he plans to meet with his Singaporean counterparts to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on landscape and urban development sectors. This announcement was made at a press conference held after the launch of National Landscape Day 2025, which was officiated by Che Puan Mahkota Khaleeda Bustamam, wife of the Regent of Johor.

The MoU, Nga explained, would extend beyond the landscape sector to include collaboration in areas such as smart city development, housing, urban renewal, public parks, and smart home concepts. This initiative is part of the broader agenda set during Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s recent visit to Malaysia and aligns with the ministry’s key priorities.

Johor, due to its strategic location and logistical advantages, is poised to gain significantly from this partnership. The state is a major hub for Malaysia’s landscape industry, with 87 percent of the country’s plant nurseries located in Johor, primarily in Muar and Batu Pahat. This makes Johor a crucial supplier of landscape plants within Malaysia.

Nga reiterated the commitment of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to assist state governments in enhancing landscape quality. To date, Johor has received RM14.5 million for 128 public park projects, underscoring the state’s key role in this bilateral initiative.