‘The tip of the iceberg’: Johor MB says JS-SEZ marks start of state’s full potential

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 21 — Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi reminded Johoreans that the success of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is not a measure of the state’s full potential, but a start for more to come.

He said the high profile cross-border economic collaboration between Malaysia and Singapore is not the end destination for Johor, rather it serves more as a catalyst.

“Many may think that the end destination for Johor is the JS-SEZ. However, for me, it is just the beginning.

“This is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ when compared to Johor’s real potential.

“Our dreams and ambitions are much greater, namely for all districts, every nook and corner of Johor is to achieve a developed state status by 2030,” Onn Hafiz said his in winding-up address at the state legislative assembly session in Kota Iskandar here today.

Onn Hafiz reminded Johoreans to not be comfortable and overtly contended from Johor’s initial success.

“On the contrary, this momentum that has been built demands that we work harder and move faster.

“For every peak successfully climbed, the next step is to go further and climb higher.

“Despite the string of successes that have been achieved by Johor, what is most exciting is that all this is just the beginning,” he said.

Onn Hafiz, who is the Machap assemblyman, also called for the federal government to return at least 25 per cent of Johor’s tax contributions for state development, as decreed by Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

He highlighted unresolved development issues such as traffic congestion, shortages of medical staff in major hospitals, and stalled pre-implementation projects could hinder Johor’s progress forward and have a negative impact.

“Immediate action is required to expedite critical projects such as the Automated Rapid Transit (ART) transit system, the second Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA 2), health clinics, and restoring dilapidated schools,” he said, adding that there is a need for decisive collaboration between state and federal authorities to unlock Johor’s full potential.