Global Tech Giants Agibot And Huawei Enter Johor

KULAI, June 12 (Bernama) -- Johor has officially positioned itself as a premier regional force in high-tech investment, securing partnerships with global technology titans, including Huawei and Agibot, to anchor the landmark RM80 billion Johor Tech Smart City project.

This high-impact project, valued at RM80 billion and spanning 930.78 hectares, serves as a strategic move by the state government to accelerate its digital agenda and food security in line with the Maju Johor 2030 aspirations.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi stated that the project is more than a physical development; it is a catalyst for Johor's economic transformation and is projected to create over 10,000 quality job opportunities.

"This initiative focuses on sectors including technology, artificial intelligence (AI), smart agriculture, and talent research and development (R&D). We want to ensure that economic prosperity directly benefits the people, particularly through local talent development," he said in his opening remarks at the Agtech City programme in Bandar Genting here, today.

To streamline investment, the state government is committed to facilitating business through one-stop centres like the Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre Johor, aimed at reducing bureaucracy.

Johor Tech Smart City will be developed as an integrated ecosystem combining an AgTech Campus and a Knowledge AI Campus. To realise this vision, Genting Property and ACGT Sdn Bhd are collaborating with a network of global technical leaders.

Huawei's world-renowned smart campuses in Shanghai and Dongguan serve as the foundational inspiration for the Knowledge AI Campus master plan, supported by urban planning and smart systems design experts B+H and Surbana Jurong.

The AgTech Campus ecosystem is reinforced by industry pioneers, including China Shouguang Vegetable Industry Group for seed R&D and tropical crop development, DAYU Irrigation for advanced precision water and nutrient management, XAG for market-leading autonomous agri-robotics, and AIRSAT, which delivers satellite intelligence and remote crop data analytics.

Onn Hafiz emphasised that the development would ensure that local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are integrated into the supply chain, preventing them from being left behind in this new economic landscape.

"We must ensure that the SMEs in Johor must also prosper as companies from China enter. While we welcome the Chinese companies entering Johor, our SMEs should not be left behind," he said.

This project is part of Johor's strong economic growth momentum, with the state recording RM110 billion in approved investments over the past two years since January 2024, setting a national record.

These efforts are expected to establish Johor as a top destination for global investors in innovation, future technology, and food security in Southeast Asia.

-- BERNAMA