Robert Pick, the former deputy head of the U.K.’s Marlborough College, recalls the day in 2009 when he stood atop a hill at the southern tip of Malaysia and scanned an endless sea of green palm oil trees. He strained to see the spot among the massive plantations where the private boarding school would build its first overseas branch three years later, Bloomberg Markets magazine will report in its September issue.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak nailed it when he described Johor as an “investment catchment area” for its attractiveness in drawing in multi-billion ringgit investments which will bring huge benefits to its people. Najib’s (picture) off-the-cuff remark when officiating Johor’s Umno function last month bears testimony to the rapid transformation this southern state has undergone during the last few years.

"It’s an opportunity to show what can be offered to investors", says Musa.

Iskandar Malaysia will continue to attract interest from potential investors from all over the world with the upcoming 8th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF). The three-day event to be held from Dec 4 to 6 at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre here will see the participation of over 1,500 delegates from 50 countries.

Iskandar Malaysia, the first “smart metropolis” of Southeast Asia founded on principles of social integration as well as low carbon emissions thanks to a green economy and green technologies, is a potential template for urban development in emerging countries with burgeoning populations, international experts say.