By Mohamad Syazwan Mustafa
SINGAPORE, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Establishing a single-window trade system and harmonising regulatory standards between Malaysia and Singapore are vital steps to achieve seamless cross-border integration and fully unlock the economic potential of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), according to a leading express logistics company.
While physical connectivity across the Causeway remains robust, non-tariff regulatory processes continue to present operational friction for cross-border cargo movements between both nations.
FedEx Malaysia managing director Woon Tien Long highlighted that despite strong bilateral trade ties, compliance with distinct national regulatory frameworks requires streamlined coordination.
“We are still two sovereign countries governed by our own specific laws; when you talk about ISO standards, they are universally recognised, but in a clearance or regulatory environment, recognising another country’s licensing and certifications would help smooth trade.
“A single window of trade would be able to unlock this seamlessness, eliminating the need to apply for double import permits,” he told a recent interview session during the FedEx Johor-Singapore Cross-Border Media Tour at FedEx South Pacific Regional Hub Singapore.
Speaking on supply chain readiness ahead of the expected rollout of the JS-SEZ Master Plan this December, Woon emphasised that managing logistics across the corridor requires continuous adaptation as trade volumes expand. “There is no hard and fast rule because every customer, depending on the industry you are in, will have different needs; our job as an integrator is then to find ways to fulfil that need for you,” he said.
Logistics operators are also advocating for the digital and physical replication of automated border clearances for goods, similar to recent passenger travel enhancements and drive-through X-ray inspection tunnels. “Human movement improvements like QR code scanning came first because passenger queues generate immediate feedback, but now we are advocating for cargo needs so trade flows just as smoothly,” Woon noted.
Echoing these views, FedEx Singapore managing director Eric Tan revealed that the logistics industry has actively lobbied both governments to address redundant border procedures. “Imagine if you are a customer or a service provider—you want to eliminate double handling and duplication as much as possible, and ideally, all paperwork and checks should only be performed once,” he emphasised.
Tan highlighted that in October 2025, FedEx published a joint white paper in conjunction with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) to serve as a strategic roadmap for an innovation-led, resilient cross-border ecosystem. “While it is still a work in progress, this push for seamless trade benefits the entire industry, including competitors and end-consumers,” he stated.
To support this economic growth, FedEx has already optimised its network routing to send inbound shipments from Asia, Europe, and the United States directly from its Singapore gateway to Senai customs.
This network adjustment bypasses a previous 300-kilometre detour through Kuala Lumpur, accelerating delivery transit times into Johor by up to two hours.
Tan noted that bilateral trade between Malaysia and Singapore reached RM402.35 billion (US$93.97 billion) in 2025, up 1.5 per cent from 2024, with both countries remaining each other's second-largest trading partners.
-- BERNAMA