TERAJU Must Empower Bumiputera Companies to Seize JS-SEZ Opportunities – Akmal Nasrullah
JOHOR BAHRU: The Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (TERAJU) must intensify efforts to empower Bumiputera companies, particularly in Johor, to remain competitive and capitalise on economic opportunities arising from the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the support provided should not focus solely on financing but should also include guidance and access to large-scale business opportunities.
He said the move was important to ensure that Bumiputera entrepreneurs could become part of the supply and service chains within the JS-SEZ investment ecosystem.
“Johor has strong and extensive potential. Therefore, we are placing our hopes on TERAJU to intensify its efforts to support Bumiputera companies in the state.
“This is not just about funding, but also guidance and efforts to open up opportunities for them to scale up their businesses, with the aim of eventually gaining the capability to enter the public stock market,” he said.
He said this when met at the TERAJU Aspirasi Business Symposium 2026 here yesterday.
Commenting on the progress of the JS-SEZ, Akmal said Malaysia and Singapore continued to strengthen cooperation to optimise the economic zone’s potential, including through the preparation of a master plan scheduled to be launched at the Leaders’ Retreat.
He said the matter was among those discussed at the First Meeting of the Johor-Singapore Cooperation Ministerial Committee (JSCMC) in Singapore yesterday.
“The meeting also touched on the development of the Nexus Sedenak industrial area, which has the potential to attract RM12 billion in investments while creating job opportunities for the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the event, TERAJU provided RM8.56 million in financing to nine Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Johor through two main programmes: the Bumiputera Expansion and Catalyst Fund (BECF) and the Islamic Working Capital Financing Programme (i-WCPF).
The financing aims to strengthen business capabilities and create more opportunities for Bumiputera companies to participate in the JS-SEZ value chain.
The symposium, themed “Johor: Leading Transformation, Driving Growth”, also brought together entrepreneurs, financial institutions, industry partners, and federal and state agencies to explore business opportunities and strengthen the participation of Bumiputera companies in the JS-SEZ ecosystem.
Astro AWANI