The Enabling Platform Partnership seeks to further strengthen ties between the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
That’s what the Enabling Platform Partnership seeks to achieve, a cross-border initiative so pragmatic, it could be Singapore Polytechnic’s most visionary play in years.
Unveiled on 30 July 2025 during the Automation SolutionGO! x RINC 2025 event, the initiative is a working manifesto, crafted to address three of the most pressing concerns for any Singaporean business daring to plant roots in Malaysia’s fast-developing Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ): Business Transformation, Talent Development, and Technology Adoption.
A Regional Alliance Rooted in Reality
Economic zones are often heavy on ambition, light on groundwork. But Singapore Polytechnic (SP), together with a formidable cast of regional partners from Southern University College to Johor Talent Development Council, from Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers to our own Singapore Manufacturing Federation has taken a refreshingly grounded approach.
Other Singaporean companies operating in Johor can now tap into Malaysia’s Human Resource Development Corporation (HRDF) support to upskill their staff.
“The Enabling Platform Partnership is a strategic catalyst for enterprise transformation,” said Mr Soh Wai Wah, Principal and CEO of Singapore Polytechnic. “It directly supports Singapore’s goal of helping businesses expand into Johor and Batam.”
Students Without Borders
For the students of SP, the partnership has opened the gates to collaboration, culture, and creativity.
In April, 20 SP students joined peers from Sunway University in Malaysia to take part in the Susthack Bootcamp and Hackathon, co-creating sustainability solutions aligned with the UN SDGs.
Since 2023, more than 100 students from SP’s School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) have participated in overseas programmes with partner institutions in Malaysia, exchanging ideas and insights, and gaining first-hand exposure to regional challenges.
Celebrating the Doers: The GO! Awards
This year’s GO! Awards, a marquee segment of AutomationSG’s efforts, recognised companies that have achieved distinct advances in their respective fields:
- Ranpak Pte Ltd took the spotlight in sustainability, offering innovative, paper-based packaging
- LeanCost International Pte Ltd wowed the judges with SmartCarbon, an AI-driven carbon-accounting solution
- Black Sesame Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd snagged the trophy for technology utilisation, with Sesame X, a modular AI platform that’s helping robots think faster and cheaper
“This year’s focus on Technology Adoption, Business Growth and Talent Development reflects AutomationSG’s mission to future-proof businesses,” said Mr Terence Teo, President of AutomationSG. “We’re creating an ecosystem where AI and workforce transformation go hand-in-hand.”
Keeping its ear to the ground, the conference also introduced the Manufacturing Jobs & Skills Fair, an effort co-organised with e2i and supported by Workforce Singapore, NTUC Youth, and SkillsFuture Advice.
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