Knight Frank Malaysia and Knight Frank Singapore today unveiled a landmark research paper on the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) at Bridging Growth Across Borders.
As Malaysia and Singapore embark on their most ambitious cross-border economic collaboration to date, Knight Frank Malaysia and Knight Frank Singapore today unveiled a landmark research paper on the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) at Bridging Growth Across Borders, a high-level event that brought together over 200 government leaders, industry players, and investors from both sides of the Causeway.
Held at Amari Hotel Johor Bahru, the event featured a keynote by Yang Berhormat Dato’ Haji Mohd. Noorazam bin Dato’ Haji Osman, Chief Executive of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), followed by a joint presentation by Amy Wong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy at Knight Frank Malaysia, and Leonard Tay, Head of Research at Knight Frank Singapore.
A panel discussion titled ‘Scaling Seamlessly: How the JS-SEZ Can Enable Smarter Cross-Border Business’ brought insights from leading business stalwarts:
- Jimmy Koh, Managing Director and Head of Network Partnerships and Strategic Marketing, Group Foreign Investment Advisory, United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB)
- Law Chung Ming, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Logistics Association (SLA)
- Lee Ting Kiat, Chairman, Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI) Southern Region
- Tristan Koh, Deputy Director of Southeast Asia (Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone Project Office), Enterprise Singapore
The event culminated with a fireside chat featuring Gerard Soosay, Chief Executive Officer of Sunway City Iskandar Puteri, who shared perspectives on how the Johor-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) and JS-SEZ will reshape the way people live, work, and invest in the region.
Strategic Insights for a New Growth Corridor
Signed in January 2025, the JS-SEZ aims to enhance cross-border trade, investment, and talent flow between Johor and Singapore. Knight Frank’s research paper explores the zone’s potential to attract high-value industries, supported by competitive real estate costs, enhanced infrastructure, and targeted incentives.
In 1Q 2025 alone, Johor secured RM30.1 billion in total investments, a sharp year-on-year rise, with 89% from foreign investors. With that in mind, two key points included in the research paper highlight that:
- Growth requires space, not just capital: Manufacturers require affordable land for both advanced and everyday industrial activities. Johor can provide the space for industrialists to stretch, scale and sustain – space for every stage of the product life cycle, from basic industry to advanced innovation.
- Growth follows clarity: Investors value simple, transparent processes over red tape and complex paperwork. For Singaporean firms, it is about ease of doing business across the Causeway. For Johor, success means turning FDI into industries, jobs and communities.
Voices from the Launch
Yang Berhormat Dato’ Haji Mohd. Noorazam bin Dato Haji Osman, Chief Executive, IRDA:
“The JS-SEZ is a visionary collaboration anchored in a shared commitment to advancing economic growth and fostering sustainable development that is mutually beneficial to both nations.”
Amy Wong, Executive Director, Knight Frank Malaysia:
“This research brief provides an investment outlook and showcases how Johor’s scale and workforce complement Singapore’s capital and global connectivity.”
Leonard Tay, Head of Research, Knight Frank Singapore:
“With space and cost pressures in Singapore, the JS-SEZ offers businesses room to grow while staying connected to their headquarters and markets.”
Gerard Soosay, CEO, Sunway Property (Southern Region):
“The RTS and JS-SEZ are game changers for Johor and Singapore – redefining cross-border business, living and renewing regional confidence.”
Knight Frank’s Role
With integrated teams in Malaysia and Singapore, Knight Frank guides investors, developers, and occupiers navigating the JS-SEZ. Services include strategic land sourcing, cross-border advisory, and transaction management.
