KOTA TINGGI: Southeastern Johor has big potential for development, especially in the tourism and industrial sectors, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix).
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the Southeast Johor Development Authority (Kejora) needs to realise the region’s potential by identifying sites for the development of the two sectors as the region makes up 15 per cent of Johor’s land area.
He said a smart partnership between the state government and the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) through Kejora should be established.
“I propose that a workshop or settlement programme is set up involving KKDW and Kejora together with the state government so that we can identify the potentials.
“It will involve areas of responsibility that the state and federal governments can work together on for mutual interest, but it is still too early to announce the exact locations,” he told reporters after a working visit to the Kejora headquarters in Bandar Penawar here.
Also in attendance were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, state secretary Tan Sri Azmi Rohani, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who is also the Pengerang member of parliament, as well as Kejora general manager Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus.
Ahmad Zahid said KKDW and Kejora, together with the state government, need to work together to develop southeast Johor.
“Sultan Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar really wants to see areas that have been left behind developed and hopefully Kejora can do this,” he added.
The Kejora region is located between the Kota Tinggi and Kluang districts, encompassing an area of 333,364 hectares. - Bernama