ASLI-FGBMF series to start in Johor with focus on Iskandar Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: As Iskandar Malaysia enters phase 3 of its development, it is now time to focus on not just the hardware but on building holistic communities there.

The second of the Marketplace Series of Forums jointly organised by the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (ASLI) and the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship (FGBMF) has therefore chosen the theme “Building Cities, Enriching Communities” for the forum to be held on May 2 at Mutiara Johor Bahru.

The Marketplace Series of Forums is a community project by ASLI and FGBMF to provide a platform for the business community to engage, influence and transform the marketplace and to build a more prosperous, flourishing society in line with Malaysia’s aspiration.

Targeting around 200 to 250 participants for the forum, ASLI CEO Tan Sri Michael Yeoh said the forum hopes to provide up-to-date information on Iskandar Malaysia and to share the success stories about the economic zone.

“It is also to get people to think about how they can contribute to enriching their communities,” said Yeoh.

“The series started in November last year. We hope to promote good values and share the success stories about Iskandar Malaysia which is growing rapidly and has attracted a lot of foreign investments. We will be holding similar seminars and forums in other cities as well as in the future,” he said.

Yeoh believes that Iskandar Malaysia is a world class development that has a global appeal and a bright outlook.

“Like Shenzen and Hong Kong, the close connectivity between Singapore and Iskandar will be positive. It is well planned and will transform southern Johor,” he noted, adding that he hoped to see the economic zone shape the future of Johor and be an inspiration for the country.

Meanwhile, FGBMF national president Fong Hoong Heng said the theme reflects the mutual desire of ASLI and FGBMF to encourage sharing and deliberation on effective ways to create holistic living in developed and developing cities using Iskandar Malaysia as the point of reference.

The economic zone celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and is having a year-long schedule of events to mark this milestone. Hence, said Fong, the success and lessons learnt over the last 10 years are precious for the public to recap as the corridor enters phase 3 of its implementation.

“The momentum of Iskandar Malaysia is past the growth stage. We are now moving into phase 3 where the emphasis is on sustainability and innovation. Going forward, we shall see more value-added services coming into the economic zone. This will bring about more job opportunities particularly for the high-end segment,” he noted.

With the bright outlook for Iskandar Malaysia, he pointed out that sectors to watch include Global Business Solutions (GBS), healthcare, education, logistics, financial and tourism.

“We have chosen the theme also because we believe building cities encompasses more than bricks and mortar. The communities must benefit from such initiatives in terms of job creation, convenience, wealth creation, improved security, increased wages and the like. This is in line with the Iskandar Malaysia Comprehensive Development Plan II ,” he said.

He added that the speakers and panellists at the forum will share the success stories since the inception of Iskandar Malaysia, the importance of software in building, the insights on developments, and new opportunities in Johor.

The speakers and panellists include Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief marketing officer Gerard Kho, Johor Petroleum Development Corp COO Izhar Hifnei Ismail, Iskandar Investment Bhd president and CEO Datuk Ir Khairil Anwar Ahmad, Sunway Bhd property development division (Malaysia & Singapore) deputy managing director Tan Wee Bee, Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Messrs KH Lim & Co barrister at law Datuk Joy Appukuttan, Feruni Ceramiche Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Ngei Chee Chau, Johor Master Builders Association president Sim Tian Liang, Pulau Indah Ventures Sdn Bhd general manager Suria Suppiah and Iskandar Waterfront Holdings president and executive director Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim.

The forum will be divided into two sessions with each session moderated by KGV International Property Consultants (Johor) Sdn Bhd executive director Samuel Tan and TheEdgeProperty.com managing director and editor-in-chief Au Foong Yee, respectively.

This story first appeared in TheEdgeProperty.com pullout on April 21, 2017. Download TheEdgeProperty.com pullout here for free.