Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone as Part of Singapore's Overall Effort to Attract Foreign Direct Investments
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Victor Lye’s inquiry into the marketing of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) for foreign direct investment and whether infrastructure plans exist to anchor Singapore’s strategic industry transformation. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong responded that the JS-SEZ leverages Singapore’s connectivity and Johor’s resources to create a combined value proposition for regional investors. He highlighted the establishment of the JS-SEZ Project Office in April 2025 to support Singapore-based companies and coordinate joint promotion with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority. These efforts include organizing joint investment forums in Johor and Singapore to market the zone’s potential to global businesses. Additionally, the government will explore how private sector-led industrial parks within the JS-SEZ can be integrated to better support Singapore's broader industry transformation efforts.
Transcript
69 Mr Victor Lye asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is marketed as part of Singapore's overall effort to attract foreign direct investment; (b) if so, how is it marketed; and (c) whether there are plans for shared infrastructure development or for developing selected zones or industries within the JS-SEZ to anchor Singapore's strategic industry transformation interests.
Mr Gan Kim Yong (for the Prime Minister): The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) will allow Singapore and Johor to leverage each other's complementary strengths. Companies can tap on Singapore's global networks and connectivity as a business and financial hub and Johor's land and resource advantages. This combined offering presents an attractive value proposition to potential investors keen to invest in the region.
In April 2025, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore Economic Development Board and EnterpriseSG jointly established the JS-SEZ Project Office to provide dedicated support for Singapore-based companies interested to expand or do more in JS-SEZ. The Project Office also undertakes investment promotion efforts together with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre – Johor (IMFC-J). These include a Joint Investment Forum in Johor in April 2025 and a second forum that will be held in Singapore later this year.
We understand that there are private sector developers keen to build new industrial parks in JS-SEZ. We will explore if some of these may be able to better support Singapore's industry transformation efforts.