Could Indonesia have potential role in Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone? ‘3 is better than 2’

Singapore Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong raises the possibility at a forum of bringing Indonesia ‘to this equation’, pointing to the Batam, Bintan and Karimun island grouping

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Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong addresses the US tariffs at a meeting in April. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:40pm, 3 Jul 2025Updated: 11:00pm, 3 Jul 2025

Corrected [10:45pm, 3 Jul, 2025]

[10:45pm, 3 Jul, 2025]
An earlier version of this story stated that Singapore and Malaysia were weighing Indonesia's entry into the JS-SEZ. The Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry has clarified that there are no plans for this.

The potential of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) could be enhanced by leveraging on the pull of an Indonesian island grouping, according to Singapore’s Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong.

The JS-SEZ was officially launched in January, with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong agreeing to develop various industries, including aerospace, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and electronics in the 3,571 sq km (1,379 square mile) zone.

During the 9th Asean Conference on Thursday organised by Singapore Business Federation, Gan took part in a panel with Malaysian Deputy Trade Minister Liew Chin Tong and Indonesia’s Deputy Investment Cooperation Minister Tirta Nugraha Mursitama.

Gan mentioned that he met his counterparts from Malaysia and Indonesia last week to discuss bringing the Batam, Bintan and Karimun (BBK) Indonesian islands “to this equation” to strengthen the Singapore-Johor-Riau (Sijori) Growth Triangle.

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong walks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya, Malaysia, in January on the same day they announced the launch of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. Photo: Reuters

“If we bring in the Sijori … BBK, Johor and Singapore together, instead of two, now we have three. So two is better than one, and three is actually better than two,” said Gan, who is also Singapore’s deputy prime minister.