How Investors Eye Johor–Singapore SEZ as Next Growth Frontier

Cross-border investment momentum is accelerating as Singapore and Malaysia move closer to launching the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS–SEZ). At CGS International’s latest «Makan & Market Talk», industry leaders highlighted how the zone could reshape trade, infrastructure, and capital flows across the Causeway. (Image, from left to right: Natalie Ong, Analyst, CGS SG, Tay Wee Kuang, Analyst, CGS SG, Ho Lip Chin, CIO, Centurion Corporation, Dr Melvin Heng, Executive Director and Group CEO, Thomson Medical Group) At the third edition of CGS International’s «Makan & Market Talk», held on 16 October in Singapore, analysts and executives dissected one of Southeast Asia’s most closely watched initiatives – the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone. The event, themed «Across the Causeway: Investing in the JS–SEZ Growth Story», gathered investors, corporates, and policymakers to explore how deeper bilateral cooperation could unlock the region’s next wave of industrial and financial growth. CGS SG Analyst Tay Wee Kuang described the JS–SEZ as a «once-in-a-generation opportunity», with major catalysts such as the Rapid Transit System Link – due for completion by end-2026 – and new checkpoint expansions at Woodlands set to enhance mobility, logistics, and trade efficiency. Healthcare: The Next Cross-Border Growth Story Thomson Medical Group’s Executive Director and Group CEO, Melvin Heng, called Johor one of Southeast Asia’s most promising healthcare frontiers. His group’s upcoming 400-500 bed hospital in Johor Bahru will serve both local residents and cross-border patients, targeting the rise of medical tourism and the region’s ageing demographics. «Johor’s growth will support the next phase of decentralised, specialist-driven care,» Dr Heng said, underscoring the structural gap in Malaysia’s hospital capacity and the growing demand for advanced medical services. Social Infrastructure to Power the SEZ Centurion Corporation’s Chief Investment Officer, Ho Lip Chin, emphasised the role of social infrastructure in sustaining long-term growth. Centurion, which already operates more than 28,000 purpose-built worker beds across Johor, plans RM 300-500 million in additional investments to support the expanding industrial workforce. «As industrial activity and infrastructure projects scale up, our goal is to provide high-quality accommodation that strengthens community infrastructure and worker welfare,» he said. The company’s broader strategy – anchored by its CAREIT listing and international expansion – positions it to capture growth across the living-space value chain. Policy Alignment Fuels Investor Confidence Panellists agreed that policy coordination will be critical to sustaining the JS–SEZ’s momentum. Simplified land acquisition, smoother workforce mobility, and cross-border tax harmonisation were cited as key enablers. Tay Wee Kuang noted that «the real opportunity lies in the collaboration itself» – marking the first time Singapore and Malaysia have aligned so visibly on a shared economic framework. Capital Markets Take Note As institutional investors search for new regional growth stories, the Johor–Singapore SEZ is emerging as a compelling play on industrial diversification, infrastructure spending, and cross-border connectivity. For Singapore-based firms facing rising costs, Johor’s evolving ecosystem – from logistics to healthcare – offers both operational efficiency and investment upside. CGS International’s «Makan & Market Talk» series will continue to track the SEZ’s rollout – and the investment opportunities reshaping the region’s economic landscape.