'Don't wait, Singapore investors advised'.

The above headline in a local paper recently makes for some surprising reading because it suggests that there have been no investments from Singapore to the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) as yet. This is evidenced by the Malaysian high commissioner's statement: 'I want to tell my Singapore friends that if you really want to move, move now. Don't wait'.

It is not for me to speculate as to the likely reasons for this state of affairs. But perhaps some idea of what may be of concern can be obtained by looking at comparative situations where investments were forthcoming by leaps and bounds once the physical and socio-economic infrastructure had been put in place.

As the sole social development consultant cum socio-economic research director for both the Johor and Pahang Tenggara Regional Master Plans, I had the tremendous experience of working with teams of consultants (from the UK and Canada respectively) who were experts in literally all aspects of plan formulation and implementation.

Our first primary and basic task was to prepare databases which identified the development potential of the physical and social infrastructure of the plan area. We needed to know not only who we were dealing with, but more importantly the kind of indigenous pattern of homegrown products they had been working with all along.

It was a question of taking development to the people from the level at which they were and modifying or improving the technology they were using help improve productivity. This was distinctively a better way rather than to impose a whole new set of technology where there had to learn how to operate new machinery (with all the accompanying problems of adjustment).

Once these plans were laid out, investors could easily identify areas or projects in which they were interested. But at the same time, we were also interested to know the capacity and the capability of those who would be responsible for the smooth running of the particular industrial plant or project. When these matters were sorted out, I understand that the Master Plan managers had a hard time coping with the investments!

Surprising as it might seem, we had the technology and expertise to produce the layout physical and social infrastructure plans at the end of three months provided we had a free hand in selecting the kind of trained and experienced personnel we were looking for.

We have been looking at comparative situations and as I understand it, the Malaysian and Singapore governments have only recently met as a Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) that will obviously take time to do the ground work before the next meeting in October.

At the first JMC meeting however, I understand that three sub-committees were set up but to my great disappointment there was no mention of an R&D sub-committee that should serve as the 'nerve' centre as was the case in the Johor/Pahang Tenggara Master Plans.