[KUALA LUMPUR] Johor, the southernmost state in Malaysia, is finding itself in the regional spotlight these days as it builds momentum towards its aim of achieving the type of success that Shenzhen has enjoyed.

For some years now, Johor has harboured ambitions of being able to flourish in the same vein as the Chinese city, in what some commentators have labelled as the “Shenzhentrification” of Johor.

Johor chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said last September that this vision could be realised with the establishment of the new Johor-Singapore special economic zone (SEZ).