Tengku Dato' Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz - Senior Political Adviser to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) - has defended the federal government's leading role in the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), urging politicians not to turn the flagship economic initiative into election campaign material.
In a video posted on social media, Tengku Zafrul said the JS-SEZ was fundamentally a federal government initiative and stressed that its achievements should not be overshadowed by political narratives surrounding the ongoing Johor state election.
According to him, the federal government was responsible for securing Singapore's agreement to jointly develop the special economic zone, establishing the overall framework for the project, and attracting investments through the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and other related agencies.
"The state does have a role, and we respect its contribution, but do not erase the federal government's main role simply because of an election," he said.
Tengku Zafrul highlighted the project's progress, revealing that nearly RM77 billion worth of investments had already been approved, with 57% of those investments having entered the implementation stage.
"If you want to know whether the JS-SEZ is progressing slowly or not, don't look at the drama. Look at the results," he said.
"We are focused on getting the work done."
His remarks come amid a public disagreement between the federal and Johor state governments over the delayed launch of the JS-SEZ master plan.
Earlier, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi accused the federal government of repeatedly postponing the launch of the master plan. The Johor Barisan Nasional chairman argued that the blueprint was a Malaysian government document that did not require Singapore's approval before being unveiled.
According to Onn Hafiz, the plan had already undergone the necessary consultation process with the Singaporean government, leaving only its official launch by Putrajaya.
However, Economy Minister Akmal Nasir said on July 2 that development of the JS-SEZ had never stalled despite the absence of the master plan's official launch. He pointed to numerous initiatives already implemented jointly by the federal and Johor governments, as well as the tangible investment outcomes achieved so far.
The dispute escalated further when Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim criticised Onn Hafiz on July 3 for using the JS-SEZ as campaign material during the Johor state election, describing the move as "silly."
The exchange has exposed growing tensions between federal and state leaders over ownership of one of Malaysia's most significant economic development projects, even as both sides continue to emphasise their commitment to ensuring the success of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone.
By: Kpost
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