Beyond a 20-Year Zero Corporate Tax: Forest City’s Dual-City Advantage for Family Offices

At the Malaysia–Singapore maritime gateway, Forest City stands out not only for its livability—where nature and modernity meet—but also for a policy mix tailored to family offices and the practical ease of a two-city lifestyle. Together, these factors make it a compelling choice in Asia-Pacific for high-net-worth families seeking both efficient wealth management and quality daily living, supporting both set-up and long-term operations.

Prime Location: Linking Singapore’s Financial Ecosystem While Lowering Costs

Just 2 km from Singapore and positioned in the heart of the Iskandar economic region and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), Forest City delivers both policy advantages and resource connectivity for family offices.

From a wealth management perspective, the short distance enables direct access to Singapore’s international financial ecosystem, reducing coordination costs. As Malaysia’s first area offering 20 years of zero corporate income tax for family offices within the Special Financial Zone (SFZ) framework, Forest City also sets a materially lower entry bar: a starting assets-under-management threshold of MYR 30 million (≈ SGD 9.06 million) versus SGD 20 million in Singapore—helpful for growing family offices that want to avoid heavy upfront pressure.

From a lifestyle perspective, its “one foot in two countries” positioning lets families switch seamlessly between environments—enjoying Singapore’s global-city energy while benefiting from Malaysia’s more relaxed pace and value-for-money consumption.

Seamless Mobility: Efficient Cross-Border Commuting, Low-stress Family Travel

Transport is central to balancing work and life, and Forest City’s multi-modal network addresses cross-border pain points. By road, the project’s own highway links into the PTP expressway; it’s about 10 minutes to the Second Link checkpoint, ~30 minutes to Singapore’s urban areas, and ~40 minutes to the CBD—meaning investment managers and advisers can meet clients without starting hours in advance; cross-border work can feel like intra-city commuting. Three existing bus routes connect island communities, city districts, and the checkpoint, so day-to-day shopping and leisure don’t require driving, with key Johor Bahru amenities reachable within ~30 minutes. Looking ahead to the end of 2026, the Johor-Singapore RTS is expected to lift efficiency further, with Forest City—close to the checkpoint and a mature commercial node—set to benefit directly.

A tailored MM2H (Malaysia My Second Home) pathway adds convenience: core family-office members can apply with property purchases from MYR 500,000, avoiding frequent visa runs; the 90-day annual residency can be accumulated in multiple stays, aligning with global asset needs and family time. Proximity to Senai and Changi airports, plus the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and Singapore’s ports, supports international travel and the logistics of cross-border investing.

Industry & Amenities: Built for Family Needs, Balancing Wealth and Daily Life

Forest City is more than a residential community; it’s a dynamic urban node. With Malaysia Digital (MD) Status, enterprises in digital, smart-tech, and green-intelligent fields enjoy up to 10 years of corporate tax exemption—an ecosystem that can supply family offices with technology tools and services to lower operating costs.

The area is also approved as a duty-free zone: the first phase covers categories such as alcohol, chocolate, cosmetics, and perfume. As duty-free island measures advance through gazettal, categories are set to expand, benefiting more sectors. Tourism is growing, broadening opportunities for related businesses and professionals.