He said the industrial park was envisioned as being especially geared towards the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
“It will aim to attract strategic investments from RCEP member countries by focusing on high-value sectors such as advanced manufacturing, green technology, and the digital economy,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the JS-SEZ joint business and investment forum here.
He said the industrial park would also drive technology transfer, boost competitiveness, and diversify supply chains across Asean.
“We also hope that it will offer customised incentives such as tax breaks, simplified talent mobility, and the temporary relaxation of fund repatriation rules to make the industrial park attractive to foreign investors,” he said.
The aim is to stimulate economic growth and job creation in the JS-SEZ and promote the region as a preferred destination for RCEP-related investment, he said.
Onn Hafiz said JS-SEZ had spurred Johor investments, with new approved investments reaching RM27.4 billion in the first quarter of the year compared with RM48.5 billion in 2024.
“(This is) a powerful early signal of the momentum behind JS-SEZ. In fact, for April 2025, there is another RM23 billion worth of projects in the pipeline,” he said.
He said the Johor government had worked tirelessly to create a welcoming environment that is also efficient, transparent, and reliable.
“We have streamlined our investment processes via the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre-Johor (IMFC-J). With the Johor super lane, we have introduced a fast-track mechanism that significantly reduces bureaucratic delays for priority investments,” he said.
Since its launch in February, IMFC-J has handled 252 investment enquiries with 42 high-impact projects now under accelerated processing, he said.
“What took 24 months from briefing to operations is achievable in just 13 to 14 months, a time-saving of almost 10 months. This is not just about efficiency. It is a clear signal to investors: Johor is serious, responsive, and ready,” he said.