Kuala lumpur: Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have begun discussions on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) trilateral cooperation, said Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. He mentioned that during a meeting with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, at the 47th ASEAN Summit, the parties agreed to explore the matter in greater detail and commence formal discussions.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the senior officials from the three countries are expected to officially discuss and explore opportunities related to the JS-SEZ. It was noted that while the matter has been discussed in the past, it has not been pursued extensively. An in-depth study is deemed necessary to understand the implications and potential of such a collaboration.

On October 24, Gan Kim Yong highlighted Singapore’s interest in exploring a tripartite collaboration with Malaysia and Indonesia to attract investors and businesses to the JS-SEZ, as well as the Batam, Bintan and Karimun (BBK) Islands. This initiative aims to enhance cross-border economic growth, with Singapore playing a significant role as a major investor in the BBK region.

The JS-SEZ spans major development zones like Iskandar Malaysia, Forest City, the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex, and Desaru, covering a total land area of approximately 357,128 hectares. The Iskandar Malaysia region includes strategic areas such as Johor Bahru City Centre, Iskandar Puteri, Tanjung Pelepas-Tanjung Bin, Pasir Gudang, Senai-Skudai, and Sedenak, which are identified as flagship zones designed to champion projects from diverse economic sectors.