# 15th Meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia Focuses on Enhancing Investment and Innovation Ecosystem to Drive Economic Recovery

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2022-08-11T12:00:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/15th-meeting-of-the-malaysia-singapore-joint-ministerial-committee-for-iskandar-malaysia-focuses-on-enhancing-investment-and-innovation-ecosystem-to-drive-economic-recovery
- **Topics:** Investment & Capital Markets

## Featured rationale

Improved transport links, immigration capacity and joint investment promotion may strengthen business activity and potentially support property demand across Iskandar Malaysia.

## AI summary

Malaysia and Singapore agreed on 11 August 2022 to strengthen investment, innovation and cross-border connectivity initiatives supporting Iskandar Malaysia’s post-pandemic recovery.

## Original article

1. The Malaysia-Singapore Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia (JMCIM) held its 15th meeting on 11 August 2022 in Iskandar Malaysia. The meeting was co-chaired by YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa bin Mohamed, Malaysia’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy), and Mr. Desmond Lee, Singapore's Minister for National Development. Also present were the Menteri Besar of Johor, YAB Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, and Singapore's Minister for Transport, Mr. S Iswaran. Senior officials from both countries were also present.

2. The meeting started with the ministers cycling about 4.2 kilometres from the Johor Causeway followed by a typical Johor breakfast at a local kopitiam. These events demonstrate the close relations between Malaysia and Singapore.

3. At the meeting, Malaysia and Singapore agreed to focus on enhancing investments and innovation to drive economic recovery post-pandemic COVID-19. This reinforces Iskandar Malaysia’s focus on social and economic recovery that is supported by a resilient ecosystem.

4. The JMCIM also noted the progress made by the various workgroups, including:

a. With the completion of the Afiniti and Avira Phase 1 Medini projects, the JMCIM endorsed repurposing the Iconic Project Work Group as the Innovation Work Group. This is to reflect the importance of technology and innovation in the competitive global environment as well as aligning to Singapore and Iskandar Malaysia’s innovation agenda. This Work Group will look into the overall strategies and initiatives to encourage and drive collaboration in technology and innovation leveraging on the different value propositions of Singapore and Malaysia. These include identifying partnerships between our tech start-up ecosystems, facilitation of business activities through sandboxes, pilots, and testbeds as well as other types of collaboration through knowledge sharing and technical exchanges.

b. The JMCIM recognises the importance of providing various transportation and other connectivity options for cross-border travel between Malaysia and Singapore. In this connection, the JMCIM welcomes the new ferry service between Singapore and Desaru which began last month.

c. The Immigration Work Group continues to collaborate closely to ensure the smooth facilitation of cross-border movement of people and goods and has done well to manage steadily increasing traveller numbers since the land border reopening on 1 April 2022. JMCIM welcomed Singapore’s plans to redevelop and extend Woodlands Checkpoint to enhance security, allow for more automated processes through ICA’s New Clearance Concept, and reduce waiting time. The New Clearance Concept for Cargo will also provide a more seamless and efficient cargo clearance experience for lorries plying the land checkpoint. The Malaysia Citizen Motorcyclist (M-BIKE) system, which allows registered motorcyclists and their registered pillion passengers to clear immigration concurrently at dedicated M-BIKE lanes, is also operating at its full capacity to accommodate mass movement of motorcyclists across the border. Malaysia is also planning to install additional M-BIKE lanes in order to improve traffic flow. This project will be known as M-Bike 2.0.

d. Joint environmental sustainability initiatives fall under the Environment Work Group. The Environment Work Group has successfully conducted a virtual Workshop on Technologies for Enforcement and Surveillance on 5 July 2022.

e. The Industrial Cooperation Work Group will continue to align its strategies to collaborate in existing target areas for mutual benefit – Advanced Materials Engineering, Electronics, Alternative Protein and Talent Development, and explore new areas, such as sustainability-related manufacturing projects and the digital economy, in line with increasing industry demand. The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) will also actively undertake more joint investment promotion activities in 2022/2023 to facilitate investments in Iskandar Malaysia. Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration in Technical and Vocational Education Training programs.

f. The Tourism Work Group will continue with the second edition of the Passport2Nature campaign, potentially linking other products and destinations within Iskandar Malaysia and Singapore. Discussions have been held on educational exchange programmes offering opportunities to learn and share best practices to conserve the natural environment by way of introducing edutourism packages for participants to experience nature sites and cultures.

5. The JMCIM noted that both countries are actively studying Malaysia’s proposal to set up a Work Group on Food Ecosystem Cooperation, as agreed at the 14th JMCIM meeting in December 2021.

6. The JMCIM also agreed to strengthen cooperation on electric vehicles, by coordinating standards to enhance interoperability and facilitate seamless cross-border travel.

7. The JMCIM notes that the Environment Work Group is currently revising its Terms of Reference to incorporate sustainability issues and collaboration on the management of hazardous chemicals. This is on top of promoting capacity building activities on environmental issues for government and industry players.

8. The JMCIM notes that the Transportation Links Work Group (TLWG) will also study ways to enhance cross-border connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists and agrees for TLWG to study the feasibility of proposals for new ferry services from Puteri Harbour, Malaysia to Tuas, Singapore.

9. The JMCIM encouraged the Tourism Work Group to explore new possibilities for twinning activities between Singapore and Johor afforded by the launch of the new ferry service between Tanah Merah in Singapore and Desaru Coast in Johor.

10. The JMCIM looks forward to meeting again in early 2023 in Singapore to sustain the positive momentum of bilateral collaboration.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 马来西亚—新加坡依斯干达联合部长委员会第15次会议聚焦加强投资与创新生态以推动经济复苏

1. 马来西亚—新加坡依斯干达联合部长委员会（JMCIM）于2022年8月11日在依斯干达特区举行第15次会议。会议由马来西亚首相署（经济）部长拿督斯里慕斯塔法·穆罕默德（YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa bin Mohamed）与新加坡国家发展部部长李智陞（Desmond Lee）共同主持。柔佛州州务大臣拿督翁哈菲兹（YAB Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi）以及新加坡交通部部长易华仁（S Iswaran）也出席会议。两国高级官员亦在场。

2. 会议以部长们从新柔长堤骑行约4.2公里开始，随后在当地咖啡店享用典型的柔佛早餐。这些活动体现了马来西亚与新加坡之间的密切关系。

3. 会上，马来西亚与新加坡同意聚焦加强投资与创新，以推动新冠疫情后的经济复苏。这强化了依斯干达特区在具韧性生态系统支持下，专注于社会与经济复苏的重点。

4. 联合部长委员会也注意到各工作组取得的进展，包括：

a. 随着Afiniti和Avira第一期Medini项目完工，联合部长委员会核准将标志性项目工作组改组为创新工作组。这反映了科技与创新在竞争激烈的全球环境中的重要性，并与新加坡及依斯干达特区的创新议程相一致。该工作组将研究整体策略与举措，借助新加坡与马来西亚各自的价值主张，鼓励并推动科技与创新合作。这些包括确定科技初创生态体系之间的伙伴关系、通过沙盒、试点和试验床促进商业活动，以及其他通过知识共享与技术交流开展的合作。

b. 联合部长委员会认识到，为马来西亚与新加坡之间的跨境出行提供多种交通及其他连通选择十分重要。就此，联合部长委员会欢迎上个月开通的新加坡至迪沙鲁新渡轮服务。

c. 移民工作组继续密切协作，确保人员和货物跨境流动顺畅，并在自2022年4月1日陆路边境重开以来旅客人数稳步增加的情况下表现良好。联合部长委员会欢迎新加坡重建并扩建兀兰检查站的计划，以加强安保、通过移民与关卡局（ICA）的新通关概念实现更多自动化流程，并缩短等候时间。货运新通关概念也将为往来陆路检查站的货车提供更无缝、高效的货物通关体验。马来西亚公民摩托车骑士（M-BIKE）系统允许已登记的摩托车骑士及其已登记后座乘客在专用M-BIKE车道同时通关，目前正以满负荷运作，以应对大量摩托车骑士跨境通行。马来西亚也计划增设更多M-BIKE车道以改善交通流量。该项目将称为M-Bike 2.0。

d. 联合环境可持续倡议由环境工作组负责。环境工作组已于2022年7月5日成功举办“执法与监测技术”线上工作坊。

e. 工业合作工作组将继续调整策略，在现有目标领域——先进材料工程、电子、替代蛋白和人才发展——开展互利合作，并探索新领域，例如与可持续相关的制造项目和数字经济，以契合不断增长的产业需求。马来西亚投资发展局（MIDA）与新加坡经济发展局（EDB）也将在2022/2023年积极开展更多联合投资促进活动，以推动对依斯干达特区的投资。双方同意加强在职业技术教育培训项目方面的合作。

f. 旅游工作组将继续推进第二届Passport2Nature活动，并可能连接依斯干达特区与新加坡境内的其他产品和目的地。双方已就教育交流项目进行讨论，通过推出教育旅游配套，让参与者体验自然景点与文化，从而学习并分享保护自然环境的最佳做法。

5. 联合部长委员会注意到，两国正积极研究马来西亚提出的设立食品生态系统合作工作组的建议，该建议已在2021年12月的第14次联合部长委员会会议上获同意。

6. 联合部长委员会也同意加强电动车合作，通过协调标准以提升互通性，并促进无缝跨境出行。

7. 联合部长委员会注意到，环境工作组目前正在修订其职权范围，以纳入可持续议题及危险化学品管理方面的合作。此外还将继续为政府和业界推动环境议题的能力建设活动。

8. 联合部长委员会注意到，交通连接工作组（TLWG）也将研究如何加强行人和骑行者的跨境连通，并同意由该工作组研究从马来西亚公主港至新加坡大士新渡轮服务建议的可行性。

9. 联合部长委员会鼓励旅游工作组探索新加坡与柔佛因新加坡丹那美拉至柔佛迪沙鲁海岸新渡轮服务开通而带来的结对活动新可能。

10. 联合部长委员会期待于2023年初在新加坡再次会晤，以保持双边合作的积极势头。