Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John

Honour for CEO of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council

Swansea University has awarded an honorary degree to esteemed alumnus of Swansea University and CEO of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council, Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John. 

The award was presented today (Thursday 21 July) during the ceremony for the College of Engineering. 

Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John was born in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, and attended the University Science, Malaysia, Penang where he studied for a BSc Hons degree in Housing, Building and Planning, and where his MSc focused on Town Planning.  

Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace JohnHe quickly secured the position of Deputy Director at the State Department of Town & Country Planning, Selangor, where he was responsible for the preparation of development plans for the major urban centres in Selangor.

He attended what was then the University of Wales, Swansea between 1983 and 1984 for an MSc in Development Economics.

Thereafter, his career highlights include a role as Project Manager at the Rural Planning Division Federal Department of Town & Country Planning, in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur; Head of Development Unit, Federal Department of Town & Country Planning, Kuala Lumpur where he was responsible for Environmental research, Environmental Impact Assessment and National Coastal Erosion Policies and was directly involved in the ASEAN-USAID Coastal Resource Management Project in South Johor with particular emphasis on the socio economic sector.

He also held the post of Director at the Putrajaya Development Unit: The Prime Minister’s Department, where he played an instrumental role in the planning and development of Malaysia’s new administrative capital, Putrajaya, covering some 4,900 hectares; and General Manager for a Special Project for the Corporate Planning & Development Division, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) where he was responsible for preparing the Master Plan for the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) successfully launched by Malaysia’s Prime Minister in October 2007.

Since December 2007, he has been Chief Executive Officer of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC).

Established by an Act of Parliament, the ECER Development Council spearheads the execution and implementation of the ECER Master Plan and plays a leading role in setting the directions, policies and strategies in relation to the development of the ECER region.  The Chairman of the ECER Development Council is the Prime Minister of Malaysia, The Honourable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, and Datuk Seri Issace directly reports to him.  Datuk Seri Issace is tasked with preparing and executing all the Council’s programmes, schemes and investment projects, as well as the marketing and promotion of ECER.

Datuk Seri Issace is responsible for the implementation of high-impact, key projects in ECER such as Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), the first industrial park in Malaysia to be accorded “National Status”; Kertih Biopolymer Park; Pekan Automotive Park; Gambang Halal Park; Kuantan Port Expansion and Kuantan Integrated Biopark, among others. These projects are part of 111 infrastructure, human capital development and poverty eradication projects and programmes that will be implemented in ECER by ECERDC, worth RM6 billion. To date, ECER has drawn foreign and domestic investments of RM89.7 billion, generated 133,000 jobs and created 14,240 entrepreneurs across urban and rural centres in ECER Malaysia.

Datuk Seri Issace is also instrumental in the successful implementation of ECER’s human capital development projects, as well as entrepreneurship development initiatives that have helped transformed the lives of more than 60,000 people and prepared local talents to meet the needs and requirements of emerging industries.  

He is the recipient of multiple awards and medals including most recently the ‘Darjah Seri Mahkota Wilayah’ (SMW) from HRH The Yang Dipertuan Agong in conjunction with the Federal Territory Day in February 2015.

Datuk Seri Issace has played a key role in facilitating the collaboration between University Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and Swansea University, paving the way for industry-academia collaborations in ECER, while promoting working partnerships between both universities in the areas of academic and research.

Presenting the award was Professor Iwan Davies who said: “It is rare for someone to show dedication to a field at such an early stage in their career.  His career trajectory suggests that Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John had incredible vision and passion even as an undergraduate, and then as a Master’s student at this University, in wanting to help develop and improve the world around us; and throughout his career, he has played a driving role in effecting policies that have expanded and improved the infrastructure and in turn, enhanced the economy of Malaysia, most recently in his current role as CEO of the East Coast Economic Region Development Council. 

“He is one of Swansea University’s most esteemed alumni and we have him to thank for the collaboration between University Malaysia Pahang and Swansea University, a collaboration which will help the University further develop its strong connections with industry, and with Malaysia, a region with which we have a successful and longstanding relationship. 

On receiving the award, Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John, said: “I am indeed grateful and honoured to receive this esteemed recognition from Swansea University. The invaluable knowledge and experience that I gained during my time in Swansea University have helped greatly in my career path and enabled me to contribute significantly to my country’s national transformation development programmes.

During my career in the public service, I was able to play an instrumental role in the planning and development of Malaysia’s new administrative capital, Putrajaya, and was also responsible for major development projects in Northern Peninsular Malaysia, namely the Kulim High Technology Park and Langkawi Development Plan. In my current position, the greatest satisfaction comes from leading an organisation responsible for the socio-economic transformation of the East Coast Economic Region of Malaysia.

“Moving ahead, I look forward to further strengthening and facilitating the working partnership and research collaboration between Swansea University and the industries in Malaysia’s East Coast Economic Region. Swansea University is one of the UK’s leading academic centre of excellence, strong in research and development and with expertise in the fields of engineering and science, therefore we hope that this collaboration will play a major role in drawing new investments and accelerating economic growth in the region.”