Johor bahru: Collaboration with Italy and other European partners will play an important role in supporting the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. He said the partnership will focus on areas such as skills development, industrial training, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, research, and university-industry partnerships.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the minister emphasized that investment should not only be measured by land use, production output, or capital committed but also by the knowledge, skills, and opportunities it creates for people. He highlighted that these partnerships can provide young Malaysians with exposure to world-class technologies, thereby building their capabilities to become engineers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and future leaders. He made these remarks during his speech before officiating the JS-SEZ Executive Forum 2026.
Akmal Nasrullah added that there is scope to expand cooperation in technology transfer, innovation ecosystems, standards, sustainability practices, and digital transformation. This expansion aims to ensure that investment in JS-SEZ results in stronger industrial capabilities and sustainable growth in the long term. He noted that in today's complex global environment, collaboration is more critical than ever, indicating that successful economies will be those that build trusted partnerships and resilient networks of growth.
The minister underscored the significance of the partnership between Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, and the broader European business community. He pointed out that many companies across the European Union are recognized for their excellence in advanced manufacturing, engineering, automation, sustainability, industrial design, and innovation. These areas align with the JS-SEZ's potential as a platform for growth in sectors such as semiconductors, electronics, AI, digital technologies, green energy, and sustainable infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Italian Ambassador to Malaysia, Raffaele Langella, expressed Italy's focus on high-quality projects within the JS-SEZ that meet the needs of Italian companies and enable their integration into a broader industrial ecosystem. He mentioned that Italy is investing heavily in sectors like logistics, oil and gas, and high-technology industry training. He also revealed plans for a delegation from one of these companies to visit the special economic zones, indicating growing Italian interest in such initiatives.
The JS-SEZ Executive Forum 2026, organized by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), attracted over 250 policymakers, business leaders, investors, and industry stakeholders. The forum aimed to explore the Malaysia-Singapore economic corridor as a strategic gateway for European companies expanding into ASEAN. It reinforced IRDA's commitment to accelerating investments, facilitating business matching, and fostering strategic industrial collaboration within the cross-border economic ecosystem.