Page 378 - Westport Guide To Malaysia

370 MALAYSIA’S ECONOMIC REGIONS
ISKANDAR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (IRDA)
#G-01, Block 8 Danga Bay
Jalan Skudai
80200 Johor Bahru, Johor
T (07) 233 3000
W iskandarmalaysia.com.my
Iskandar Malaysia is
a booming economic region located in Johor, at the southernmost tip of mainland Asia. It covers 4,749sq km, over 6 times the
size of neighbouring Singapore, sits on
the world’s busiest shipping routes
and is within easy reach of major Asian cities via Senai International Airport.
The Iskandar
Regional Development Authority (IRDA) focuses on promoting nine economic sectors (although investors from other sectors are also welcome). These comprise five Core Sectors - Electrical & Electronics, Petrochemical & Oleo-Chemical, Food & Agro-Processing, Logistics and Tourism - and four Emerging Sectors, namely Creative, Healthcare, Financial and Education.
Iskandar Malaysia’s
generous land area, strategic location and abundant
ready infrastructure have generated high levels of investor confidence. The region has registered cumulative committed investments
of RM322 billion since its inception in 2006 until H1 2020. The top five inward investor countries are China, Singapore, USA, Japan, and Spain. The population is also growing rapidly, reaching 2
million by December 2018, largely driven by the 700,000 new jobs created since 2006
Major investors include BMW, Volkswagen, Maersk, Hirata, Celestica, Palsgaard, Dyson, Seagate, Hershey’s, Lotte, Pokka, IKEA, Legoland, MCM Studio, Renaissance, Holiday Inn, Thistle, Regency Specialist, Gleneagles, Thomson Medical, Marlborough College,
Raffles University, Newcastle University and Shattuck
St Mary’s.
Smart City Iskandar
Malaysia is the pilot for the development of smart cities
in Malaysia, providing ease of doing business and integrating the Economic, Environmental and Social aspects of modern living. It is also the cornerstone of the Low Carbon Society agenda, which aims to create a region-wide, high-quality, low carbon lifestyle, emphasizing family and community ties
and harmony with nature.