Parliament Sitting on 23 Jan 07: Question No. 49 for Oral Answer: Lee Bee Wah: Southern Johor Economic Region

Question No. 49 of Notice Paper No. 25 of 2006 For Oral Answer

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms. Lee Bee Wah, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC

Question No. 49
To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what is the impact of the development of the Southern Johor Economic Region on Singapore and whether there are any Singaporean investors who have shown interest in any of the projects.

Answer:
Based on the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for South Johor released by Malaysia last November, we understand that the development of the South Johor Economic Region (SJER) – or Iskandar Development Region (IDR) as it is also known - will cover an area of 2,217 sq. km. Under the development plan, various growth pillars and key projects have been identified for the region. The main sectors slated for development include electrical and electronics, petrochemicals and oleo chemicals, food and agro processing, health and education services, and tourism, while major projects will include theme parks, residential areas and new administrative centers.

These plans to develop South Johor into a vibrant area of growth offer opportunities for our companies to invest in Johor and to build on the complementarities between Singapore and Johor. A thriving economic region right next to Singapore will also allow us to enhance our value proposition to international investors and to sharpen our competitive edge vis-à-vis other economies like China and India. The Johor-Singapore combination is already regarded by MNCs as a competitive proposition for a wide range of economic activities, and the IDR could strengthen this winning partnership.

Our companies are keenly monitoring developments for opportunities. Although we are not aware of any concrete indications on specific projects, this could be because the IDR initiative is still in its early stages.