JOHOR TO LAUNCH TRANSFORMATION PLAN TO DRIVE PROGRESS IN ALL DISTRICTS - MB

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- The Johor government will introduce the Johor Economic Transformation Plan (JETP), which seeks to spur development across all 10 districts as the state strives to attain developed status by 2030.

Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the plan would focus on boosting the economic sector in every district, demonstrating that the state’s development initiatives were comprehensive and extended beyond the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) initiative.

He said the state government had also taken note of concerns raised by some parties regarding the focus of development in the economic zone as well as in the Johor Bahru district.

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“As Menteri Besar, I will never fail to champion progress and development across all 10 districts and 16 local authorities for the benefit of four million people of the state.

“The JS-SEZ is not Johor’s final destination. Our dreams and ambitions are far greater, encompassing every district as we strive towards a developed state by 2030. This will be realised through meticulous and detailed planning under the JETP,” he said in his winding-up speech at the Johor State Legislative Assembly today.

Onn Hafiz explained that the JETP would focus on four strategic interventions, namely infrastructure availability, investor-friendly policies, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, and workforce provision.

He added that a total of 32 initiatives had been identified, with 13 regarded as high-impact and would be given priority, with their execution set to be accelerated.

According to him, the focus on the economic sectors in Johor Bahru and Kulai would continue, positioning the districts as hubs for the development of artificial intelligence (AI), high-tech manufacturing, the digital economy, aerospace, and export-oriented services.

Onn Hafiz said Muar would be developed as a tourism, high-value food processing, and industrial energy centre; Tangkak as a strategic transit and agro-tourism hub; and Segamat would be positioned as a high-value crop and biomass processing area.

He said focus would also be given to Batu Pahat, with its processing and manufacturing industries to be enhanced; Pontian as a blue-green energy and aquaculture hub; Kota Tinggi as an energy gateway, agricultural green chemistry hub, and tourism centre; Mersing as a blue economy and eco-tourism hub; while Kluang would serve as a centre for high-value agro-processing, agriculture, and logistics.

Onn Hafiz expressed optimism that the JETP could drive Johor’s economic growth and boost income, thereby creating employment opportunities for the people.

--BERNAMA