Malaysia and Singapore will postpone next week’s signing to formalize a special economic zone in Johor, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday.

A planned signing between Malaysia and Singapore of a deal to create a special economic zone in the southern Malaysian state of Johor will likely be postponed to January, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday.

A deputy minister cited cost savings as a reason, and that Malaysia needs to achieve a “net-zero dependency” by being capable of producing treated water in Johor before reviewing any new changes.

A planned signing between Malaysia and Singapore of a deal to create a special economic zone in the southern Malaysian state of Johor will likely

Malaysia’s prime minister said the planned signing was rescheduled after Singapore’s Lawrence Wong contracted Covid-19.

The signing was originally planned for during the annual Singapore-Malaysia Leader’s Retreat scheduled from Dec 8-9 in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya.