A niche homestay project called Kampungstay@Teluk Buih in Mersing developed by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council as part of its plans to develop the district's tourism sector.
ISKANDAR Malaysia is set to receive a huge boost from the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which has been hailed as a potential game changer and a catalyst for economic development.
Routine meetings have been conducted between the Johor government, led by Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, and federal agencies such as the Economy Ministry to plan and fine-tune strategies for a smooth implementation of the JS-SEZ.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Datuk Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Datuk Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim, who is part of the Johor delegation in the meetings, believes that the JS-SEZ, coupled with the Special Financial Zone (SFZ) in Forest City would be a major boost for the state.
“Since IRDA’s inception in 2006, we have already recorded RM383bil in accumulated investment for the Iskandar Malaysia region as of February. The amount was actually a target we set for 2025 so we have achieved it ahead of time,” he said.
This has prompted IRDA, a federal government statutory body tasked with the objective of regulating and driving various stakeholders in the public and private sectors towards developing the region, to set a new target of RM636bil in cumulative investments by 2030.
“We believe that the target is possible, especially with the full support of the government through the JS-SEZ and the SFZ,” he said.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said the JS-SEZ joint agreement is expected to be inked between the prime ministers of both countries at the 11th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat scheduled for later this year.
He reportedly also said that the joint agreement would detail the cooperation agreed upon by both countries for JS-SEZ, including the focused sectors, locations and incentives that will be offered.
On Jan 11, Malaysia and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding to make JS-SEZ a reality in strengthening economic relations between Johor and the city-state.
Legoland Malaysia, located in Iskandar Malaysia, is a popular attraction for locals and tourists since it commenced operations in 2012.
Badrul Hisham highlighted that IRDA has targeted a gross domestic product growth for Iskandar Malaysia at 5.5% to 6.5% between 2023 and 2030.
“Economic growth will be supported by activities in its key sectors, including services, manufacturing and construction. Iskandar Malaysia will focus on increasing productivity in its economic activities in order to achieve the upper bound of the targeted growth.
“We also project around 400,000 new employment created in Iskandar Malaysia between 2020 and 2023, resulting in total employment of nearly 1.4 million by 2030,” he said, adding that this is expected to reduce the unemployment rate from 3.9% in 2020 to 2.5% in 2030.
For the past 18 years, IRDA has gone through three phases of development to make Iskandar Malaysia into a strong and sustainable metropolis of international standing, and it is currently in the fourth phase (2023-2030).
Iskandar Malaysia has an area of 2,300 sq km and covers five local authorities such as Johor Baru City Council, Iskandar Puteri City Council, Pasir Gudang City Council, Kulai Municipal Council and Pontian Municipal Council.
Over the years, some of its key achievements in investment include commencing the operations of Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios (now known as Iskandar Malaysia Studios) in 2015, Legoland Malaysia, the first theme park of its kind in Asia in 2012, Johor Premium Outlet in 2011 and Educity, Asia’s first multi-campus education city in 2008.
On the environment front, IRDA introduced the Low Carbon Society Blueprint Iskandar Malaysia 2025 and 2030 besides recording a 19.7% reduction in carbon intensity emission based on its Greenhouse Gas Inventory 2019, compared to 2010.
The first Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre in Johor Baru opened in 2022, providing green space for sports and recreational activities.
On the social development aspect, IRDA started operating Rumah Iskandar Malaysia with 1,500 units in 2011, which is the country’s first housing development project based on a transit-home concept.
“This was to assist married couples or single parents to rent comfortable, modern and affordable apartments until they can purchase their own residential property.
“We also commenced operations of the first Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre in Johor Baru in 2022 and started the construction of another youth centre in Iskandar Puteri last year.
East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) chief executive officer Datuk Baidzawi Che Mat.
“In 2022, IRDA also completed the Sungai Segget Rejuvenation Project, which followed the operations of Malaysia’s first vertical centralised sewerage treatment plan at the river in 2017.”
Badrul Hisham said with the new development plans and targets as well as the various support provided by the government that Iskandar Malaysia stands to benefit from, there is also a slight shift in the main role that IRDA would be playing towards achieving the region’s vision.
In May 2023, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government wants to empower the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) as the country’s main investment promotion agency.
Badrul Hisham said this meant that IRDA would take on a more significant role in facilitating the realisation of investment, especially through its Iskandar Malaysia Investment Service Centre or IMISC.
“This alignment of role will actually provide clarity to the investors and strengthen further the synergy between Iskandar Malaysia and MIDA, together with Invest Johor under the state government.
Aside from Iskandar Malaysia, another economic corridor in Johor – the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) – focuses on socio-economic development activities including those related to tourism and agriculture in the districts of Mersing and Segamat.
One of ECERDC’s completed projects is the Mersing Harbour Centre, a tourism and small and medium enterprise centre to boost the district as an island tourism destination.
East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) chief executive officer Datuk Baidzawi Che Mat said Mersing has been part of ECER since its inception in 2008 and in January this year, Segamat officially became a part of the region.
“Throughout the years, ECERDC has attracted a total of RM1.9bil in committed investments to Mersing and Segamat in sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture and services.
“For Mersing, the ‘rainforest to reef’ development strategy was employed as outlined in the ECER Master Plan 2.0 to capitalise on the district’s tourism attractions while agriculture will be the focus in Segamat,” he said.
In the last 15 years, ECERDC has completed projects such as the Mersing Harbour Centre, a tourism and small and medium enterprise centre to boost the district as an island tourism destination; Tanjung Penyabong Waterfront as a gateway to Mersing islands; and road upgrading works from Jalan Kahang to Peta to increase tourist arrival to the Taman Negara Johor Endau-Rompin (TNJER) and spur local economy.
East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) has also embarked on a chili fertigation project in Segamat.
ECERDC also completed the Medan Ikan Bakar Endau project, a floating restaurant providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to sell Mersing’s famous grilled fish and other specialty dishes; a niche homestay project called Kampungstay@Teluk Buih; and the Peta Rainforest Discovery Centre at Taman Negara Johor Endau-Rompin.
In support of the nation’s food security agenda, ECERDC is replicating its successful dairy project in Muadzam Shah, Pahang at Jemaluang, Mersing, he added.
“The ongoing Jemaluang Dairy Valley project is expected to be in operation in 2025 to produce 7.2 million litres of fresh milk in five years’ time.
One of East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC)'s completed projects is the Tanjung Penyabong Waterfront as a gateway to Mersing islands.
“Additionally in the agriculture sector, our latest fisheries park called the Endau-Mersing Fish Processing Park, will provide investors with integrated facilities for value-added downstream activities,” he said, adding that ECERDC has also embarked on a chili fertigation project in Segamat.
Not forgetting community development, Baidzawi said empowering projects targeting the B40 group, women and orang asli have been conducted.
“We have also provided academic courses to more than 2,700 underperforming students from B40 families under our ‘empower ECER’ programme. These students have successfully improved their academic performance while some furthered their studies at various higher learning institutions in the country,” he added.
The development council maintains close relationship with the Johor government and related government agencies as well as non-governmental organisations to ensure successful implementation of its projects for the benefit of the communities, Baidzawi said.
He added that ECERDC is currently implementing the government’s Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat or IPR Intan project in Segamat and would be expanding it to other areas within the two districts.
“We are also in the planning stage for expansion of the ECER Daily Valley and construction of a collection, processing and packaging centre in Segamat.
“At present, the ECER Master Plan 3.0 (2025-2030) is being drafted in collaboration with the state government to ensure sustainable growth in ECER,” he said. > turn to page 16
