A planned signing between Malaysia and Singapore of a deal to create a special economic zone in the southern Malaysian state of Johor will likely be postponed to January, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday.

The signing was originally planned for during the annual Singapore-Malaysia Leader’s Retreat scheduled from Dec 8-9 in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya.

Malaysia’s prime minister said the planned signing was rescheduled after Singapore’s Lawrence Wong contracted Covid-19.

However, Mr Ibrahim told the Senate in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday morning that PM Wong had told him the night before that he had contracted Covid and that the signing needed to be postponed to January. “He does not want to pass the infection to me and my wife,” the Malaysian Prime Minister added.

A deputy minister cited cost savings as a reason, and that Malaysia needs to achieve a “net-zero dependency” by being capable of producing treated water in Johor before reviewing any new changes.

Malaysia and Singapore will postpone next week’s signing to formalize a special economic zone in Johor, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday.

SINGAPORE: A major step forward in economic collaboration between Malaysia and Singapore is set to unfold on Dec 9, when the joint agreement for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is expected to be signed.