Sub-region growth triangles can narrow development gaps among Asean members (The Business Times)

“Sijori”- an acronym for Singapore, Johor in Malaysia and Riau province in Western Indonesia was popularised in the 1990s as a growth triangle that would benefit all three countries. While it has since lost its popularity, Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman of the SIIA, argued that there needs to be a substantial rethink of the triangle’s purpose, as well as revised regulations that benefit all sides. In an earlier interview with The Business Times, he said “My own thinking about the Sijori has come back due to the pandemic…The pandemic has shown that there is interdependence among Singapore, Johor and Bintan and Batam”.