Singapore, KL move to revitalize growth triangle

Singapore, KL move to revitalize growth triangle

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Singapore and Malaysia yesterday agreed on steps to revitalize a growth triangle linking the city state with Malaysia's southern state of Johor, Malaysia said.

Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong discussed the issue with his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, Finance Ministry Secretary-General Clifford Herbert told reporters.

The triangle, which also includes Indonesia's Batam island about 20 km (12 miles) off Singapore, was proposed in 1989 to encourage foreign investors to move labor intensive industries to Johor and Batam while using land-scarce Singapore as a base.

Since then, the concept has led to several other triangles around Southeast Asia.

The two deputy prime ministers agreed to establish a committee to iron out local difficulties such as land use problems and immigration and customs procedures, Herbert said.

During rush hour, it sometimes takes two hours to travel across the causeway from Johor to Singapore as cars line up at the immigration check-point.

"Once we get the committee working, the flow of people across the causeway for tourism and such things will be enhanced," Herbert said.

Lee, the son of Singapore's former prime minister and now senior minister Lee Kuan Yew, also called on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

He will give a speech on Malaysia and Singapore's role in the region today before leaving for the northern island of Penang. He returns home tomorrow.