Time for Review of Economic Triangle

Iskandar Putri, MINA — Johor aims to review the Singapore-Johor-Riau (Sijori) economic growth triangle to boost economic cooperation with Singapore and Indonesia, Star Online reported on Tuesday.

State International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said the Sijori concept, which was launched years earlier prior to the launch of Iskandar Malaysia, was good.

“However, due to unknown reasons, the execution of the growth triangle did not take place as planned,” he told reporters on Friday.

Puah said this during the opening of the Bigwheel Seedbank @ Iskandar Sunway, Bandar Medini here.

“Johor needs to leverage on its close proximity with Singapore and Indonesia and work together with them to boost economic activities in the Sijori economic growth triangle,” he said.

Puah said the state government would meet with its Singaporean and Indonesian counterparts on plans to revive the growth triangle.

He said the revival of Sijori would not undermine the role played by Irda in attracting investments to Iskandar Malaysia since its inception on Nov 4, 2006.

Puah said the economic growth triangle involved Singapore, Johor and Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago while Iskandar Malaysia covers 2,217 sq km of southernmost parts of Johor.

Iskandar Malaysia is three times bigger than Singapore and two times the size of Hong Kong.

“In fact, Irda and Sijori could work together to boost economic activities which will create economic benefits for the three countries,” he said. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)