JOHOR BARU: Perikatan Nasional will focus on expediting the economic recovery of Johor if it wins the state election on March 12, says its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He said Johor was among the states most affected by the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia, especially by the closure of the Malaysia-Singapore borders.
“As such, in the next few years, efforts must be made more diligently and vigorously for Johor to rise and bounce back stronger not only like in 2019, but more than that.
“We want Johor to rise and rise quickly. I think we (Perikatan) have the experience to make it happen,” he told reporters after launching the coalition’s ‘Demi Bangsa Johor’ (For Bangsa Johor) state election manifesto here yesterday.
Perikatan manifesto contained eight key thrusts.
They are integrity and corruption-free leadership; economic stability; priority in addressing the rising cost of living; concern for the people; social well-being; infrastructure efficiency; boosting the tourism sector; and environmental sustainability.
Muhyiddin said the manifesto was a realistic and practical commitment to form a clean, efficient and caring state government for the people.
Pledge for betterment: Muhyiddin launching the Ikrar Perikatan Nasional Demi Bangsa Johor at a hotel in Johor Baru. — Bernama
An efficient service delivery by strengthening the governance of state-owned agencies and companies would be carried out, he said.
“This includes optimising the digitisation of state public services, including the local authorities,” he said in his speech at the launch of Perikatan’s manifesto.
Muhyiddin said Perikatan would introduce the Johor Economic Decade Plan 2022-2032, where the state government would strengthen its economy by prioritising the involvement of the society and focusing on strategic and high-impact industries, including digital infrastructure, modern public transport, green energy production and smart agriculture.
“Efforts will also be intensified to empower Johor as the national food production and digital hub by attracting investments from international technology companies. Johor’s sustainable economic development will also be supported through the digitisation of the micro, small and medium enterprise sector,” he said.
To address the cost of living in Johor, Perikatan will offer a free water scheme of 20 cubic metres to low-income households, expand the Prihatin Rakyat Sales Programme, continue the distribution of Johor Prihatin food baskets, and ensure no one, including people with disabilities, will being left out.
Traders affected by the Covid-19 pandemic will be exempted from paying licence and rental fees of business sites owned by local authorities for five years.
Later, Muhyiddin told reporters that Perikatan would support the revival of the High Speed Rail (HSR) even without the participation of Singapore as it would be a game changer for Malaysia.
“If Singapore wants to come back, it will, however, not on the same basis or arrangement that were made during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s time (as prime minister then),” he added.
During his official visit to Thailand, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said Malaysia and Thailand had agreed to carry out a feasibility study for a HSR route between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.