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Johor-Singapore SEZ blueprint delay sparks tension ahead of Malaysia state election
Economic Minister Akmal Nasir fends off criticism from Johor’s caretaker leader, saying the master plan will be launched ‘at the right time’
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Johor’s caretaker chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi has criticised Malaysia’s federal government for delays in the launch of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) master plan, arguing that it is needed to sustain the initiative’s momentum.
In response, Economic Minister Akmal Nasir, who oversees the project at the federal level, has maintained that the government remains committed to the project’s success and the delays have not affected the JS-SEZ as investor numbers have remained strong.
The comments have come amid intense campaigning for the July 11 Johor state election, in which Onn Hafiz is leading Barisan Nasional’s (BN) charge to retain its rule of the state government.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact is BN’s main challenger in Johor, even though the two coalitions are allies under the federal unity government.
Akmal, who is also Member of Parliament for Johor Bahru, is a member of Anwar’s party – Parti Keadilan Rakyat – within PH.
In a statement released on Thursday, Onn Hafiz said that the JS-SEZ master plan was originally scheduled to be launched at the end of 2025, but this was later rescheduled for March 30, 2026.
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