KULAI: About 20 companies are eyeing Johor as their next investment destination, an investment, trade and consumer affairs committee said.
Its chairman, Lee Ting Han, said the companies were already in talks with the state government on the possibility of directing new investments or expanding their presence.
Lee expects discussions with two of these companies to be concluded by the end of the year. They are both data centre service providers from the US and Australia.
He said that any new deal struck with these companies would raise the total investments in the state this year beyond the RM60.9 billion recorded from January to June.
He said the recent announcement by the federal government that Pengerang would be given special status as well as incentives customised for the chemicals and petrochemicals businesses would spark interests among similar companies from Japan, China and Taiwan.
“They want to know what it’s (Pengerang special status) all about,” he added.
“We hope to close the deals and smoothen their entry into Johor by early next year, if not by the second quarter next year. So, we do see an inflow of investments,” he told reporters after the launch of DHL Express’ Johor Bahru gateway in Senai here today.
Given that talks are still in progress with these 20 companies, Lee said, the prospects of Johor getting more new investments were good.
“So, we do see good prospects for Johor up till the second quarter of next year,” he added.
Lee said that apart from the two industries, players in the electrical and electronics manufacturing sector in the state are also seeking to expand their presence in Johor.
“We are a beneficiary of China’s trade war (with the US). Many firms are considering shifting to neutral places and Malaysia, particularly Johor, is located strategically. We are within a six-hour radius from major cities in the Asia-Pacific, giving us a competitive advantage over other countries,” he said.
The DHL Express Johor Bahru gateway is one of six across DHL Express Malaysia’s aviation and ground network.
The RM10.8 million expanded facility comes equipped with a high-speed conveyor system capable of sorting up to 1,900 shipments per hour as well as improved shipment processing of more than 1,800 parcels and documents coming and going through the facility’s busiest trade lanes.
Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2022/10/18/more-new-investments-expected-for-johor/