ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government plans to establish the Johor Investment Co (JICO) in Singapore as part of the efforts to improve bilateral relationship with the republic.
Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the establishment of JICO would help improve and ease trade between Johor and Singapore.
"We have already submitted our proposal for the setting up of JICO to Wisma Putra, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore. We hope to initiate JICO this year," said Hasni.
He said JICO would be headed by an officer from the Johor Civil Service (JCS).
"This will benefit JCS as it provides them with the experience of working in an international setting," he added.
Hasni told reporters after the opening of the third session of the Johor State Assembly by the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
He also said that the state government had informed Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of its intention to review and strengthen the Singapore-Johor-Indonesia triangle growth.
"The prime minister has agreed to it in principal. We hope to have the first meeting with the representatives from all three countries after Hari Raya Aidilfitri," said Hasni.
SIJORI was launched in December 1989 and is a tripartite agreement between Singapore, Johor and Riau in Indonesia that seeks to exploit the competitive strengths of the three areas, and to attract regional and international investors to the sub-region.