Johor chief minister expects Johor-S'pore SEZ agreement to be signed on Dec. 8, 2024

Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has told the Johor state assembly that he expects the Johor-Singapore special economic zone (SEZ) agreement to be signed on Dec. 8, during the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat.

Agreement to be signed before year's end

According to reports in the New Straits Times and Bernama, Onn Hafiz gave his comments in a written reply to questions in the State Assembly on Oct. 3.

The NST reports Onn Hafiz as saying that the SEZ agreement was in the final stages of being drafted.

Onn Hafiz, who also represents the Machap seat, paid tribute to the "hard work of various ministries at the federal and state level", as well as their counterparts in Singapore.

The Johor Chief Minister revealed that he expected the agreement to be signed at the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat, which he said would take place on Dec. 8.

This is a timeline that he had previously mentioned during the Sept. 18, 2024 National University of Singapore Society's 75th Anniversary Lecture.

During the lecture he talked up various aspects of the SEZ, mentioning that Singapore and Malaysian officials had been working out issues during SEZ workshops and would share more during the Dec. 8 retreat.

@mothershipsg The Invest M’sia Facilitation Centre will have representatives from key agencies such as Immigration, Customs, Invest Johor, the Land Office, and six City Councils, said Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi at the NUSS 70th Anniversary Lecture 2024 on Wednesday, Sep. 18. #fyp #sgnews ♬ original sound - Mothership

Cost of living

Onn Hafiz also replied to questions in the state assembly about other, more local challenges that the state might face regarding the SEZ, as reported by Bernama.

The MB acknowledged that one of the challenges that the state and federal government had to overcome was that the SEZ should benefit all segments of society.

He warned that the SEZ is "expected to lead to an increase in real estate values and cost of living" in the surrounding areas.

This, he said, would pose a challenge for locals, particularly those outside the top 20 per cent income group who might face difficulty adapting to rapid economic changes.

Policies aimed at increasing the amount of affordable housing projects for Johoreans had been formulated, particularly affecting those in the SEZ area.

Skilled labour and BRICs

Onn Hafiz also noted that the SEZ's implementation would spark competition for skilled labour, and risk development, infrastructure, and economic disparities across the entire state.

To combat such disparities, Johor intends to develop a skilled and competitive workforce through the newly established Johor Talent Development Council.

Onn Hafiz also said that the state was "committed" to ensuring the SEZ's benefits would extend to areas in the north of the state, not just its south, where the SEZ is mainly located.

He even touched on Malaysia's desire to join the BRICs bloc of nations, which Malaysia has announced its intention to eventually join, as reported by the Malay Mail.

Saying the BRICs represented a bloc of nations whose economic powers were rapidly growing, the Johor government welcomed the federal government's intention to join BRICs.

Joining, he said, would bring greater investment and trade potential to the state through the SEZ.

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Top image via Onn Hafiz Ghazi/Facebook