Johor Bahru’s stimulus package

Johor Mentri Besar, Abdul Ghani Othman, said the state will forward a proposal to the federal government next week that will help businesses in Segamat, Batu Pahat and Muar affected by the recent flood. Abdul Ghani was speaking at a Chinese New Year dinner hosted by the Johor Bahru Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He also said that he expects Johor’s economy to improve with the opening of Malaysia Premium outlet last September and the Legoland Theme Park in April next year.

Also, by June next year, the state government will unveil its Johor Bahru Centre Transformation Plan costing RM1.8 billion. Thereafter, work commences on the clean-up of Sungai Segget which flows alongside Jalan Wong Ah Fook, which is in the central business district.

Last year, Prime Minister Najib Razak had annouced a federal allocation of RM200 million to revive Sungai Segget, currently one of the country’s most polluted rivers. It was covered and turned into a pedestrian walk few years ago at a cost of RM6million. The redevelopment of the Johor Bahru CBD will be implemented in stages over the next three or four years.

President of the Johor Bahru Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Loh Lian Hiang, pledged that the business community there “shall strive harder to penetrate the global market [so that Malaysia becomes] a higher-income nation.”