ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 14 — The Johor government will establish an investment, culture and friendship company in Singapore to improve trade and diplomatic links between the state and the republic, said Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad.

He said the state-owned company called the Johor Investment Company (JICO) will be formed soon.

"The planned JICO will be operated by the state civil service personnel where it would be a good opportunity for them to experience working in an international place like Singapore.

"However, the main function of the company is to improve and mitigate trade or investment between Johor and Singapore,” said Hasni during a press conference after the official opening of the 14th Johor State Assembly at the Sultan Ismail Building in Kota Iskandar here today.

Present were the state’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) assemblymen.

Hasni, who is also the Benut assemblyman, said the state government has also informed the federal government of its plan to establish JICO in Singapore.

He said Wisma Putra, the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) and the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore have also been informed.

It is understood that JICO will function similar to an investment, culture and friendship bureau overseas.

The proposed company will be placed under the Johor Mentri Besar’s Office and is expected to be an important division to further strengthen Johor-Singapore ties.

On a related matter, Hasni said the state government will also review the previous Singapore-Johor-Indonesia (Sijori) growth triangle cooperation.

"Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has also supported the intention to review the Sijori growth triangle cooperation.

"The state government will discuss on Sijori after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations where it will see representatives from Singapore and Indonesia present,” said Hasni.

During the previous state Barisan Nasional (BN) administration in 1994, Sijori was established between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, to strengthen economic links in the region and optimise the complementarity between the three countries.

It started off as the Sijori Growth Triangle in 1989, which was driven mainly by the private sector and included Singapore, Johor and parts of the Indonesian Riau Island Province.

The cooperation aims to link logistics, transportation and financial areas of Singapore with the natural and labour resources of both Johor and Riau.