The Iskandar Development Region (IDR), also known as SJER( South Johor Economic Region) is set to become a new global growth center.
The IDR area covers 2,216 sq km of land area within the Southern most part of Johor should well prepare to be globally competetive to draw investors and businessmen. Its also should be a high quality development, offering top services and facilities. Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at the lunch of the inaugural IDR authority meeting.
If Iskandar wants to be successful as a global growth center , Iskandar Development Region have to provide what globalise business and professionals want, which means easy transportation, sound delivery and legal systems, technological sophistication, a good quality of life for expatriates and quick access to capital.
For that purpose, Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has a council of five eminent people to advise it on various matters regarding future development. They are Tan Sri Robert Kuok Hock Nien, Datuk Seri Andrew Sheng, Tun Musa Hitam, Tan Sri Samsudin Osman and Tan Sri Kishu Tirathrai. The five are Johor's most prominent figures and have influence in the corporate world.
Abdullah said one of the key recommendations from the advisory council was about Iskandar welcomes professionals, top business managers and industry exoerts from around the world with minimum red-tape.
Beside that, we must allow the free flow of top brains from around the world and incentives to attract and retain foreign investments. He said to attract investments from around the world, the first thing is to make investors feel worth putting their money here.
He said these included its location, with stong connectivity, outstanding infrastructure. Labour skill, competitive costs of doing business and political stability.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that everybody has to work hard to compete with others as competition is a challenge we must face referring to the other global growth areas coming up around the world..
Iskandar should emerge better than other regional economic zones like Dubai, Shenzen in China or Banglore in India.