Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir stated that the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) Master Plan will be officially launched during the Annual Leaders’ Retreat in December.
He stated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, will jointly lead the launch, which is slated to happen in Malaysia.
According to him, the master plan’s introduction is anticipated to strengthen JS-SEZ’s standing as a significant regional investment destination.
“We expect that the Annual Leaders’ Retreat will take place in December, and one of the agendas highlighted during the retreat will be the launch of the JS-SEZ Master Plan.”
“I also held a meeting with Singapore’s National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat, and we also agreed that a meeting co-chaired at the ministerial level or the Johor-Singapore Cooperation Ministerial Committee (JSCMC) will be held in November,” Bernama reported him saying.
At a press conference that followed the launching ceremony of the Targeted SDG Programme at the National Level in 2026 in the Southern Region, which took place in Batu Pahat, Johor on 31st July 2026, Akmal Nasrullah made this statement regarding the most recent development of the cross-border initiative.
When asked if problems with Network School would have an impact on Malaysia’s investment potential, particularly in the JS-SEZ, he responded that the ministry is now concentrating on attracting investors and fostering confidence so that the money received truly helps the nation.
“I think we cannot get too caught up in the issue, as the focus at the level of the Ministry of Economy is to continue to build the strength and confidence of investors; thus, the cooperation with Singapore will continue to remain strong and healthy.
“So that is why that matter was not raised in our discussion because we see a bigger agenda impacting on how this JS-SEZ can continue to expand,” he said.
In response to Apex Securities’ analysis of the possibility that disruptions to shipping routes in the Strait of Melaka could have an impact on the country’s economy, Akmal stated that the government will keep concentrating on preserving the stability of the nation’s energy supply in order to guarantee the continuation of economic activity.
In the meantime, Akmal Nasrullah stated that Batu Pahat has been chosen as a pilot city for the national-level SDG programme’s launch, with plans to expand the initiative to 12 additional districts to guarantee that economic growth and raising the standard of living at the local level go hand in hand.
He stated that the SDG goals are positioned as one of the fundamental pillars of growth planning and effectiveness evaluation at the ministry level, including establishing the goal of attaining 40% of official reporting under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
He mentioned the implementation of this initiative also takes into account the positive achievements of JS-SEZ in strengthening sustainable development in the districts across Johor.
