Copyright therakyatpost
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates. Nuseir Yassin, the founder and host of YouTube channel Nas Daily, posted a video recently that took place in Forest City, Johor Bahru. Lim Lip Eng, a user on X (formerly Twitter), shared the video with an inquiry: “Isn’t this Nuseri Yassin an Israeli citizen?”. The “publicly-cancelled” documentarist is an Israeli passport holder and according to Malaysian immigration law, foreigners who hold an Israeli passport are forbidden from entering the country unless they have specific written approval from the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs. It’s unsure when the video was produced, or if he’s still in the country, but considering the subject matter that was featured in his video, it could not have been any sooner than September 2024. Yassin’s video highlighted a tech startup community that has taken root in the supposedly “abandoned” Forest City. Isn’t this Nuseir Yassin an Israeli citizen?@KDNPUTRAJAYA https://t.co/ByMTIT2JXH— LIM LIP ENG (@limlipeng) October 25, 2025 The Israeli vlogger once entered Malaysia using his Saint Kitts and Nevis passport back in 2022. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a dual-nation island in the Carribean. Malaysians are no strangers to Yassin’s antics, and many have criticised his recent presence in Johor while calling on the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into matter. Past controversies Yassin landed in hot water back in 2021 when Nas Daily and Nas Academy faced accusations of scamming and exploiting Filipino culture. Specifically, the grandniece of iconic tattoo artist Apo Whang-Od stated that her grandaunt never signed a contract for a “Whang-Od Academy” and accused Nas Daily of taking advantage of her heritage. The course was intended to be part of Yassin’s Nas Academy program, a learning platform he set up to educate content creators on content creation and storytelling. Meanwhile, critics have also accused him of misrepresenting or exploiting cultures. For example, he was criticized for a video about Bali called “The Whitest Island in Asia,” which some saw as glorifying gentrification and ignoring the exploitation of local workers. View this post on Instagram Yassin has always had a complex stance on Israel and Palestine. He was born in Israel to Palestinian parents. However, he declared in a Twitter post in 2022 that he “does not want to live under a Palestinian government” and that he is “Israeli first. Palestinian second”. Network School: A “Tech Bro” Haven Network School, which was launched in September last year, is the brainchild of Balaji Srinivasan, former Chief Technology Officer of online cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase Inc. The organisation describes itself as a “frontier community for techno-optimists”, with members made up of “remote workers, digital nomads, online creators, personal trainers, self-improvers, event organisers, and engineers of all stripes”. It markets itself as a community for those who wish to learn and build their own tech startups by living, working, and “working out” among other tech entrepreneurs. View this post on Instagram Goals to make its own independent state Srinivasan wrote a book titled Network State, which according to the Network School website, ponders on possibilities in using technology to start new cities or even new countries. Meanwhile, a video on YouTube that explores Forest City showed a segment where a Network School member explains how there’s a chance of the island in Johor gaining independence to potentially becoming its own state. The member also mentions the possibility of a new passport that will be created for residents of the supposed independent tech state. This is heard at the 19-minute and 48-second mark of the video. Is Forest City really abandoned? Contrary to popular belief, Forest City is not completely abandoned. It’s just labelled as a “ghost town” due to its low occupancy. While some areas like hotels, a few businesses, and residential pockets are active, many of the towers and malls remain empty, with construction incomplete. The project faced setbacks from a change in Malaysian government policy in 2018, new capital controls from China, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hurt sales and development. Special Financial Zone The Forest City Special Financial Zone (SFZ) is an initiative by the Malaysian government to attract global businesses, investors, and professionals by offering a range of tax and lifestyle incentives. Companies operating within the zone — especially those in finance, fintech, wealth management, and global business services — can enjoy corporate tax rates as low as 0% to 5%, while family offices benefit from a 0% tax rate for up to 20 years if they meet certain investment and local spending requirements. Skilled professionals working in the zone are also eligible for a 15% flat income tax rate, making it appealing for high-value talent. Located just across the causeway from Singapore, Forest City is designed to serve as a lower-cost, business-friendly complement to Singapore’s financial hub. The SFZ is part of the larger Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), which aims to boost cross-border economic integration, investment, and job creation. Beyond financial incentives, Forest City offers modern infrastructure, duty-free status, property ownership opportunities, and potential visa flexibility, making it an attractive place to live and work. Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
