The cross-border partnership aims to transform the region into ASEAN’s leading agriculture hub, strengthening food security through sustainable urban farming and advanced agri-technology

SINGAPORE, 14 OCTOBER 2025 – Southern Catalyst Sdn. Bhd. (SOCAT), a Ministry of Finance (MOF) Inc. company and the master developer of a 2,940-acre site in Sedenak, Johor, and Archisen Sdn. Bhd. (Archisen), a Singapore-based agritech company that specialises in designing, building, and operating innovative urban farming solutions, announced their strategic collaborations with CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (CGS MY) respectively at a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing today. These agreements to collaborate build on SOCAT and Archisen’s MoU to establish a 200-acre agropolis in Sedenak, Johor in September.

CGS International, as the strategic financial partner to Southern Catalyst and Archisen, is supporting the development of high-impact agriculture and agri-food projects aimed at establishing the largest integrated agriculture hub in the Southern Region. SOCAT and Archisen are jointly advancing initiatives valued at approximately RM500 million, while CGS International — working in collaboration with a network of private equity and debt partners — is preparing to mobilise up to RM1 billion in agriculture-related investments and financial solutions across the full value chain, spanning crop production, processing, logistics, and the creation of a regional inventory hub. Collectively, these efforts under the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) framework represent a potential capital commitment exceeding RM1.5 billion, underscoring private-sector confidence and Malaysia’s leadership in sustainable agri-economic development. The partnership also extends to investment structuring, capital-markets access, investor engagement, ecosystem development, and coordination with government agencies to attract institutional and cross-border capital.

The MoUs were inked at the 2nd Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) Joint Investment Forum, which gathered over 50 participants from global companies seeking to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the JS-SEZ. Present at the event were Yang Berhormat (YB) Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul bin Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia and Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore.

Ir. Mohd Nazree Bin Abu Kassim, Chief Operating Officer of SOCAT said, “With Archisen and CGS MY as our partners, we look forward to executing our mandate to transform Ladang Air Manis into a modern and sustainable agriculture and food processing value chain ecosystem. By collaborating with like-minded investors, businesses and technology partners, we aim to not only supply the region with nutritious produce but also position Malaysia as a leading exporter of high-quality food to the world, as we strive to strengthen food security in the face of growing demand and escalating climate challenges.”

Mr. Vincent Wei, Chief Executive Officer of Archisen said, “Archisen is eager to grow our presence and contribute our experience and expertise to design and deploy effective urban farming solutions in JS-SEZ as part of our mission to establish an urban farm network in Asia. Through the development of a plug-and-play agriculture ecosystem that leverages on shared resources, innovation and market access, we aim to transform the region’s fresh food supply chain, from cultivation, farm management, storage, packaging, to logistics and more. We look forward to working with SOCAT and CGS MY to unlock the tremendous potential of agri-tech and support the region as it moves up the value chain.”

Mdm. Carol Fong, Group Chief Executive Officer of CGS International Securities Pte. Ltd. (CGS International) said, “Malaysia and ASEAN are blessed with abundant natural resources. As the country and region develops, we need to concurrently safeguard these resources while ensuring food security for all. JS-SEZ provides ASEAN with a strategic platform for Malaysia to collaborate with its neighbours to realise these goals, and at the same time build thriving economic centres with diverse industries in different regions. CGS International looks forward to working closely with governments, SOCAT, Archisen and the broader ecosystem to facilitate efficient and effective capital market advisory to support, promote and advance the plans. By leveraging our strong capital market capabilities, regional footprint and global linkages, especially with China, we are well-positioned to connect and bring in the right partners and stakeholders to accelerate the future of agriculture in ASEAN.”

Launched earlier this year, JS-SEZ promotes and support investment and movement of goods and people between Malaysia and Singapore for strategic sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, digital industry, healthcare and education and new priority sectors such as aerospace, electrical and electronics, chemical, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. The platform has recorded a total of RM37.1 billion in approved investment within the first quarter of 2025 and is expected to attract a further RM29.1 billion in new investment commitments as announced by the Government last Friday during the tabling of Malaysia’s Budget 2026 tabling.

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