{
  "id": 15975423,
  "title": "Iskandar Malaysia's next test: Turning RM525bil investments into lasting economic gains",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/iskandar-malaysias-next-test-turning-rm525bil-investments-into",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-22T00:02:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2026/10/1561045/iskandar-malaysias-next-test-turning-rm525bil-investments"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Johor's Iskandar Malaysia economic corridor, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, has attracted over RM525.26 billion in investment, outpacing its initial RM383 billion goal by RM142.26 billion. Industry experts agree that the focus now is on turning this investment into long-lasting economic gains, including higher-value jobs, stronger local businesses, and improved living conditions.\n\nPrevindran Singhe, founder and CEO of Zerin Properties, praised Iskandar Malaysia's investment performance but emphasized that the next phase will be more challenging. He stressed the importance of attracting investment that leads to the creation of vibrant, livable communities with access to parks, cultural activities, reliable public transport, and shorter commuting times.\n\nOlive Tree Property Consultants founder and CEO Samuel Tan highlighted the strategic importance of Iskandar Malaysia's location, particularly its proximity to Singapore. He pointed to the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) as a key opportunity, which has already attracted RM76.98 billion in investments. However, Tan stressed that realizing this potential requires close cooperation between Johor and Singapore authorities in areas such as infrastructure planning, energy security, workforce development, and cross-border mobility.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Iskandar Malaysia’s next challenge is turning investment into sustainable growth, higher-value jobs and stronger local businesses, industry experts said.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}