JETCO Network Of Over 200 Singapore Stakeholders To Boost Johor Investment
By Hasnah Jusid
JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 6 (Bernama) – The Johor Economic, Tourism and Cultural Office (JETCO) has established a strategic network of at least 200 stakeholders in Singapore as part of efforts to strengthen investment, trade and business ties between Johor and the republic.
Its chief executive officer Mohd Shahrin Rahmat said the network includes business and industry groups such as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and German Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
He said the engagements provide platforms to promote Johor’s investment opportunities, particularly under the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), while facilitating business matching and long-term collaboration.
“JETCO’s role is complementary and more upstream. We identify opportunities, open doors, build relationships, facilitate engagements and connect Singapore-based investors, business chambers and trade partners with the right stakeholders and agencies in Johor,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview.
Mohd Shahrin said Johor recorded about RM110 billion in approved investments in 2025, the highest among Malaysian states, followed by RM59.4 billion in the first half of 2026, placing it second nationwide.
Within the JS-SEZ, approved investments reached RM76.98 billion in 2025, with 57 per cent already realised, while the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre Johor handled 285 investment inquiries worth a potential RM74.12 billion between January and May 2026.
Beyond investment promotion, JETCO has expanded its initiative into tourism, with its JETCO Connect programme, launched in 2025, evolving into JETCO Connect 2.0 in August 2026, he said.
The programme brought together 40 Singapore tourism players and 40 Johor industry players, resulting in nine market-ready tourism packages tailored to the Singapore market, including a Desaru package that has progressed into an actual market offering.
In talent development, Mohd Shahrin said JETCO collaborated with Rome Business School on a Supply Chain Management Competencies programme, which saw 66 participants from 19 companies within the JS-SEZ ecosystem graduate in June 2026.
Conducted in two cohorts between November 2025 and April 2026, the programme comprised 30 interactive classes across five modules covering sustainable and digital supply chains, agility, cybersecurity and global supply chain dynamics.
The initiative, supported by the Johor Talent Development Council, Social Security Organisation, Iskandar Regional Development Authority and TalentCorp, aims to strengthen local workforce capabilities to meet growing industry and investment demands, he said.
JETCO has also organised familiarisation programmes involving JS-SEZ industry players, including Ecoceres Inc and Bridge Data Centre, to introduce Johor’s heritage, culture and tourism attractions, reinforcing broader economic and people-to-people ties between Johor and Singapore.
– BERNAMA