WHEN the leaders of Singapore and Malaysia met at end-October, a broad agenda appropriately reflected the breadth of ties. Notwithstanding this, or that it was the first leaders’ retreat held with Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia’s Prime Minister, there is something that deserves special attention and a degree of optimism. This is the proposal for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with Johor.

Some may long for a high-speed railway to Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, but that has now been twice derailed. An SEZ with Johor may prove more feasible and immediate. Details are pending about the scope and focus. But the SEZ can potentially go beyond incremental improvements to be a game changer.

Baselines and additional dynamics