Editorial: The Jewel of Asia
New Straits Times (Columns)
06 Nov 2006

WITH the official launch of the blueprint of the multi- billion ringgit Iskandar Development Region project, exciting times lie ahead not only for the southern state but also for the whole country.

With RM4.3 billion under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, almost half of Johor’s allocation, to be spent on constructing roads, cleaning rivers, boosting security and other infrastructure, and with the projected RM47 billion in investments over the next five years, this new engine of growth in the south lives up to its billing by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the "single largest development project" in the region and "one of the most important and ambitious initiatives not only in the Ninth Malaysia Plan but also in the history of our development".

The scale of the vision is indeed staggering: "A world-class sustainable metropolis", a cyber city, a logistical hub as well as a major financial, tourist, medical and educational centre, capable of creating 800,000 jobs over the next 20 years, and raising per capita income to RM115,000 in 2025.

The Khazanah-led plan to transform south Johor into the "Jewel of Asia" is indeed impressive. It can become the prototype for other development corridors in the country in their role as economic powerhouses. It represents a vision of balanced development where social and cultural infrastructure appears to have been given as much attention as physical and economic infrastructure.

Creating green spaces, revitalising polluted rivers, and protecting the environment seem to figure in the blueprint just as much as developing value-added industries, creating a wireless network, and providing incentives to investors.

As the Prime Minister asserted: "South Johor has it all: Strategic location, strong air and sea logistical infrastructure, ample land, an educated workforce, vibrant culture and a progressive and visionary state government." The plan to turn the region into "the new international address for business, investment, leisure and culture" is, therefore, not merely wishful thinking.

A lot of calculation and attention to details, procedures, structures and sources of financing seem to have gone into the planning. Some of the projects, like the new administrative capital in Nusajaya and the waterfront city, are taking shape, some will soon be implemented, while others, like the idea of opening passport-less and hassle-free zones for foreigners, are still on the drawing board.

As the Prime Minister is only too well aware, while one can always plan well, what matters most now is the ability to put that plan into action.