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  • 6/19/2025
The Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is a distinctive cross-border initiative that has drawn international interest as a new economic dynamo, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Nikkei Forum in Iskandar Puteri on Thursday (June 19), Anwar acknowledged that while other countries may offer more attractive incentives, few possess Malaysia’s combination of political stability, a united coalition, and a willingness to confront past missteps while implementing transparent, forward-looking policies.

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00:00Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
00:04Dan salam sejahtera kunnichiwa
00:08And do not underestimate the importance of Johor Singapore as exact
00:13ASEAN happens to be one of the most peaceful regions in the world
00:21Vibrant and dynamic economically
00:25And the bilateral relations, multilateral relations and regional cohesiveness
00:34Is rather unprecedented
00:36I was at the ISIS forum this morning
00:39Of course people say thank you Prime Minister Anwar for the success
00:43I said even engagement with Myanmar leaders
00:48Both the military junta Prime Minister and the National Unity Government Prime Minister
00:54I said credit goes to the ASEAN leaders
00:57They gave me the mandate
00:58They gave me the support
01:01And our relations is excellent
01:03Look at this region
01:05This SEZ
01:06It would not have happened
01:08If the two governments
01:10The two systems do not
01:13Share common interests
01:16Uplifting both
01:17These countries
01:19This is not an ordinary ASEAN
01:22You name me
01:24Any economic zone
01:26That involves two countries
01:28Based on total trust
01:31And working together as a team
01:33Formidable team
01:35To uplift both societies and countries
01:39And therefore I give credit
01:40Not only to Malaysian leaders in Johor
01:42But also Singapore friends
01:44We have been articulating
01:45And supporting this issue
01:46And because of that
01:51Precisely because of that
01:52You can see so much interest
01:54I mean the Japanese are here
01:56The Chinese
01:59The Koreans
02:00The Europeans
02:01And
02:03JS as ESEC
02:06Is now known
02:07Internationally
02:08Globally
02:09As a new dynamo
02:12Why?
02:14Because of this collaboration
02:15Because of the infrastructure
02:19In place
02:20That means
02:22Politically
02:23It's stable
02:23And
02:25There's clarity
02:27Of policies
02:28We were told
02:31That sometimes
02:32We need new
02:33Instruments
02:35In West Malaysia
02:37Facilitation Centre
02:39Medijis Johor guys
02:41Are not easy
02:42Every meeting
02:43They make new demands
02:44And if they fail
02:47At the state level
02:47They use us
02:48Someone up there
02:49I'm for a good cause
02:53So
02:55This facilitation centre
02:58Clearly
02:59Becomes
03:03A major focal point
03:05To accelerate
03:07The process of
03:08Approvals
03:09Which is unprecedented
03:11Again
03:11And this becomes
03:13Therefore
03:14A facilitation centre
03:16Both at Miti
03:17And Johor
03:18As a showcase
03:20For other state authorities
03:22And some other federal agencies
03:24To emulate
03:26And progress
03:26So
03:28You may have
03:29A politically stable
03:30System
03:31You may have
03:33Clarity of policies
03:34Brilliant minds
03:36Working
03:36But you must have
03:38This
03:39Pace
03:41Of approvals
03:42The commitment
03:44Of the
03:45Both bureaucrats
03:47And executives
03:48In the field
03:49And so
03:50Thank you very much
03:51For those
03:53Who have played
03:54Their role
03:54And have seen
03:56The capacity
03:57And ability
03:58Of SEZ
03:59Through IIB
04:01Hazanah
04:02And the state government
04:03Working together
04:04To enhance
04:06And showcase
04:08Their ability
04:10And capability
04:11Of SEZ
04:13So
04:15So it's a great
04:16Story
04:17I mean
04:18I was in
04:19Davos
04:19And one of the
04:20Questions raised
04:23About potential development
04:25I mentioned
04:26JS as SEZ
04:28Not only in terms
04:32Of a new
04:33Project
04:33To attract
04:34Investments
04:35And to provide
04:36Incentives
04:36Many countries
04:39Give better
04:40Incentives
04:40Than
04:42JS
04:43As SEZ
04:44And I
04:45Happens to be
04:46Holding
04:46The fort
04:47At the
04:48Ministry of Finance
04:48I'm not interested
04:49In giving new
04:50Incentives
04:50Enough
04:52But then
04:54You don't have
04:55That many
04:57Countries
04:58With
04:58A politically
05:01Stable system
05:02A strong
05:03Coalition
05:03A two third
05:04Majority
05:05In parliament
05:05And using
05:07That
05:07To accept
05:09And acknowledge
05:10Some of our
05:11Blunders
05:12And excesses
05:13Of the past
05:13Of endemic
05:14Corruption
05:15Of abuse
05:16Of power
05:17Of laxity
05:18And
05:20Having
05:21Understanding
05:23That
05:23Decide
05:25To embark
05:25On
05:25Very clear
05:26Policies
05:27For the
05:27Government
05:28Now
05:29We are
05:29Having
05:30This
05:31To deal
05:32With this
05:33Issue
05:33Of
05:33The
05:34Trump
05:34Tariffs
05:35As a
05:38Country
05:38As a
05:39Region
05:40We are
05:41For
05:41Rules
05:42Based
05:43Multilateral
05:45Arrangements
05:46We do
05:48Not
05:49Share
05:49This
05:50Or
05:53Do not
05:54Endorse
05:54Or
05:55Support
05:55Or
05:55Condone
05:56Any
05:57Unilateral
05:58Action
05:59It does
05:59Not
05:59Matter
05:59For
06:00Many
06:00Country
06:00We
06:02Promote
06:03Peace
06:03And we
06:04Stand
06:04Firm
06:05As
06:05As
06:05To
06:08We
06:08To
06:10Express
06:12Our
06:12Views
06:13Be
06:14On
06:14The
06:15Israeli
06:16Aggression
06:17And
06:17Colonization
06:18Of
06:18Gaza
06:19Or
06:20Provocation
06:20To
06:21Iran
06:21We
06:22Stand
06:22Firm
06:23And
06:23We
06:23Are
06:23Prepared
06:24To
06:24Face
06:25Whatever
06:26Issues
06:27Raised
06:28But
06:29At
06:29The
06:29Same
06:29Time
06:30We
06:30Observe
06:31The
06:31Principle
06:31Of
06:32Or
06:32Adopt
06:33The
06:33Principle
06:34And
06:34Policy
06:34Of
06:34Centrality
06:35Nobody
06:36Can
06:37Dictate
06:37That
06:38We
06:38Should
06:38Be
06:39Too
06:39Friendly
06:39To
06:40Japan
06:40Or
06:40China
06:41Or
06:41United
06:41States
06:42We
06:43Are
06:43Trading
06:43Country
06:43When
06:44Open
06:44Trading
06:45Country
06:45And
06:47The
06:47Policy
06:47Must
06:47Be
06:48To
06:48Protect
06:48The
06:49Interest
06:49Of
06:49This
06:49Nation
06:50And
06:50Our
06:50People
06:52United
06:54States
06:54Is
06:55Still
06:55Cumulatively
06:56And
06:57Present
06:57The
06:59Greatest
06:59Investor
07:00Trading
07:01Partner
07:02With
07:03Malaysia
07:03You
07:05Have
07:05E&E
07:06Here
07:06Semiconductor
07:07You
07:08Know
07:08That
07:0860%
07:09Of
07:10Our
07:10Export
07:11Is
07:11To
07:12United
07:12States
07:12Which
07:14Means
07:14Our
07:15Relations
07:16With
07:16United
07:17States
07:17Not
07:17Withstanding
07:18Our
07:18Differences
07:18On
07:19Many
07:19Of
07:19The
07:19Foreign
07:20Policy
07:20Issues
07:21Or
07:21The
07:21Unilateral
07:22Decision
07:23On
07:24Tariffs
07:24Our
07:25Relations
07:25Must
07:26Remain
07:27Strong
07:28Which
07:31Means
07:32We
07:33Must
07:33Continue
07:33The
07:33Engagement
07:34I
07:34Just
07:35Received
07:35The
07:36Note
07:37From
07:37Minister
07:38Zafro
07:39This
07:39Morning
07:39About
07:41The
07:41Series
07:41Of
07:42Meetings
07:42With
07:43The
07:44Common
07:45Secretary
07:46With
07:47US
07:48State
07:48Representative
07:49Progressing
07:50Very
07:51Well
07:51Negotiations
07:52On
07:52Tariff
07:53But
07:53At
07:53The
07:53Same
07:54Time
07:54We
07:54Also
07:54Represent
07:55ASEAN
07:56Interest
07:57And
07:57Prime
07:58Minister
07:58Ishiba
07:58For
07:58Example
07:59When
07:59He
07:59Called
08:00He
08:00Agreed
08:01That
08:01The
08:01Commerce
08:02Secretary
08:03Or
08:04Minister
08:04Of
08:04Japan
08:05Should
08:05Coordinate
08:06So
08:07That
08:07We
08:07Take
08:08ASEAN
08:08Position
08:08We
08:09Work
08:09With
08:10Japan
08:10Korea
08:11And
08:11China
08:12To
08:12Engage
08:13With
08:13United
08:14States
08:15Why
08:15To
08:16Ensure
08:17That
08:18Trading
08:21Investments
08:22Remain
08:23Remain
08:23Paramount
08:24And
08:25Must
08:27Be
08:27Based
08:28On
08:28Multilateral
08:30Regiments
08:31So
08:35There is
08:39Some
08:39Other
08:39Issues
08:39Of
08:40Course
08:40We
08:40Take
08:40A
08:40Very
08:41Strong
08:41Position
08:41Against
08:43The
08:43Provocative
08:45Actions
08:46By
08:46North
08:46Korea
08:47Which
08:48Is
08:49Affecting
08:49Of
08:49Course
08:49The
08:50Security
08:51Of
08:51The
08:51Region
08:51Of
08:53South
08:54Korea
08:54Of
08:54Japan
08:55And
08:56We
08:56Take
08:56Position
08:56Very
08:57Clearly
08:57And
08:59We
09:03In
09:03ASEAN
09:04Have
09:04That
09:04Consensus
09:05Because
09:05We
09:06Also
09:06Have
09:07To
09:07Deal
09:07And
09:07Grapple
09:08With
09:08The
09:08South
09:09China
09:09Sea
09:10But
09:10Our
09:10Relations
09:11With
09:11China
09:12Is
09:12Very
09:12Close
09:13Not
09:14Many
09:15Countries
09:15Can
09:15Record
09:16That
09:16Last
09:19Month
09:19We
09:19Had
09:20Or
09:22A
09:23Month
09:23Earlier
09:23We
09:24Had
09:24President
09:25Xi
09:25Ping
09:26An
09:26Official
09:27Visit
09:27Here
09:28And
09:28The
09:28Following
09:29Month
09:29We
09:29Had
09:29Premier
09:30Li
09:30Chiang
09:30Which
09:31Could
09:32Not
09:32Have
09:32Happened
09:33If
09:33Our
09:34Relations
09:34With
09:35China
09:35Is
09:36Not
09:36Extremely
09:38Close
09:38Why
09:42Because
09:44First
09:45The
09:45Principle
09:45Of
09:45Centrality
09:46Secondly
09:47Secondly
09:47Because
09:47We
09:47Are
09:47Trading
09:48Nation
09:49We
09:49Need
09:49All
09:49The
09:49Investments
09:50Support
09:51Training
09:51Transfer
09:52Technology
09:52That
09:54China
09:54Can
09:54Offer
09:55As
09:55The
09:55Japanese
09:55Have
09:56Offered
09:56For
09:57Decades
09:58In
09:58The
09:58Past
09:59That
10:02That
10:02That's
10:02Why
10:02I
10:04Think
10:04Our
10:06Task
10:06Is
10:07To
10:08Make
10:08Sure
10:08That
10:09We
10:09Provide
10:09All
10:10The
10:12First
10:13Incentive
10:14But
10:14Most
10:14So
10:14The
10:14Infrastructure
10:15And
10:16The
10:16Environment
10:16Necessary
10:18To
10:24To
10:25To
10:28To

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