Spurring south Johor growth

Spurring south Johor growth

The tourism sector has been identified as one of the main industries, besides the oil and gas sector, that will spearhead Johor's future development growth.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said tourism is set to have a big potential in south Johor following the next phase of Iskandar Malaysia's development plans.

"We will look at further developing the tourism sector in Iskandar Malaysia since the establishment of Legoland Malaysia, Pinewood Studios Iskandar and Sanrio Hello Kitty Town in south Johor has showed that they have potential to draw visitors," he said.

Muhyiddin said this after attending a briefing on Johor's development plans with the State Economic Planning Unit and also the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) at the Sultan Ismail building in Kota Iskandar here on Tuesday.

Present were Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and senior state officials.

Muhyiddin, who was on a one-day visit to Johor, said he was confident that tourism will grow in south Johor as it is has potential to be a driving force besides the oil and gas sector for the state's growth.

Johor has been at the forefront of the country's development via the Iskandar Malaysia economic projects.

Located in the southern part of Johor, Iskandar, which spans 2,217 sq km and is three times bigger than Singapore, was mooted more than seven years ago.

At present, Irda and various stakeholders are working on the second phase of south Johor's Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP).

Muhyiddin said since Iskandar Malaysia was established, it has recorded a cumulative total investment of more than RM130 billion where, of the total, RM60 billion represented investments that had been realised with the creation of more than 600,000 jobs.

"This figure shows that Johor will continue to grow rapidly in future," said Muhyiddin who was also a former Johor Menteri Besar.

Earlier, Muhyiddin said he was upbeat with the proposed development plans for Johor's future growth that was briefed to him by the state government and also Irda.

He said he was briefed on two key areas which are the state's development plan and also the the people-centric Suara Hati Johor plan.

Muhyiddin said the plans, which are the effort of the state government, is vital for Johor's overall future growth.

"There is a comprehensive plan to also develop support industries, especially small and medium enterprises, human capital and skilled workforce."

The plan will also see development in the northern areas of Johor such as the districts of Muar and Batu Pahat.

"I am satisfied with the various programmes put in place to ensure the state's future sustainability and growth," he said, adding that the two main areas are also a good effort by the state government to strengthen its key results areas.


Dataran Mahkota Kota Iskandar in Nusajaya is a popular among tourists.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Royal arch a gift to the people

Royal arch a gift to the people

THE new landmarks in the capital city are gifts from the Johor ruler to his people.

The sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, in an exclusive interview with Streets said the arch that resembles four elephant tusks surmounted by a crown, which is a mammoth replica of the crown worn by Sultan Abu Bakar Daing Ibrahim (1833-1895), during his coronation, is among the new landmarks in Johor Baru meant for the rakyat.

Sultan Ibrahim said the large crown replica, majestically supported by tusks, is fitted with over 2,000 crystal stones, and when it is ready and lighted, will have the rakyat "in for a surprise".

Sultan Ibrahim did not want to reveal details so as not to spoil the surprise for his subjects.

He also told Streets that the city lacks landmarks that represent the state.

"In London, there's Buckingham Palace, where thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see it daily, and in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, there is the Istana Negara," said Sultan Ibrahim.

Bukit Serene, upon completion in September this year, he added, will also be accessible to the people.

There will be parking bays for tourist buses, and the people can take the opportunity to be photographed there.

"This is my gift to the people," he said.

Sultan Ibrahim also said that while developing the state and building the infrastructure, the people's welfare is always kept as a top priority.

"Another paramount issue is the environment. I have instructed all district officers to make sure that rubbish are disposed of properly, and the people must also play their part to keep their surrounding clean.

"Keeping Johor clean is everyone's responsibility, not just the government's," said Sultan Ibrahim when met at Istana Pasir Pelangi, adding that his subjects' welfare, the multiracial unity Johoreans, the environment and cleanliness, are issues close to his heart.

Sultan Ibrahim added that he had decreed that no hills or mountains in the state be flattened or cut to make way for development without his consent.

"There is a natural eco-system. If hills and mountains are flattened... where would natural water flow? There will be many negative side effects," he said.

Sultan Ibrahim revealed that an environment-friendly Forest City will be built on an island near the Second Link Expressway.

To not let the cat out of the bag, Sultan Ibrahim did not reveal the island's name but Streets learnt from sources that it will built near Sungai Pendas in Pulau Merambong.

The Johor Sultan said he was not against development but the environment, marine ecology and the wildlife must not suffer in the name of development.

He said developments should not only be focused in Johor Baru but also in the 10 districts of the state. They must also receive a fair share of development, he said.

"Places like Muar and Mersing and others that offer natural beauty in the state must not be overdeveloped to the point of affecting their beauty," he said.

The ruler has several more exciting plans in store for his subjects, but he said, they will be disclosed in due time.


The large crown replica is a beautiful sight to behold when lighted.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Over 50,000 expected at Explore Johor Fest

Over 50,000 expected at Explore Johor Fest

THE three-day Explore Johor Fest organised in conjunction with the Master Tourism Plan, which will be unveiled by the Menteri Besar, is expected to draw more than 50,000 tourists.

Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin will announce the Master Tourism Plan for 2014-2023 on June 6.

More than 50,000 locals and foreigners are expected to throng the Senai International Airport here during the three-day event from June 6 and 8 where representatives from all the 10 districts in the state will promote, introduce and showcase their respective tourism products.

There will also be shows, dances and songs to entertain guests.

Johor's popular delicacies, namely, otak-otak, mee rebus, mee bandung, nasi beriyani gam and laksa Johor, are among dishes that will be served.

Johor Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said Johor has 11 tourism clusters to offer like theme parks, beautiful and serene islands and beaches, nature parks, world-class resort and hotel accommodations, and local handicrafts, among others.

"We hope to achieve RM7.14 billion in revenue by 2020 from the tourism industry," said Tee, adding that the festival and other tourism-related programmes, and activities were designed to attract tourists to Johor.

"Explore Johor Fest will not just attract tourists to the state but will also see a domino effect in the promoting of Visit Malaysia Year 2014," he added.

This year, about 6.94 million tourists are expected to visit Johor.

Last year, there were 3.96 million visitors to Johor while in 2012, 3.78 million tourists visited the state.

Johor tourism department representatives will be working closely with the various travel agencies to customise and design interesting and appealing travel packages to attract tourists.

There will be numerous tourism promotions between 10am and 10pm daily during the Explore Johor Fest.

Visitors will enjoy a flat-rate parking fee of RM3 at the airport.

There are 121 booths offering tour and accommodation packages.


Datuk Tee Siew Kiong (third from right) at the press conference for Explore Johor Fest 2014 in Kota Iskandar, Nusajaya.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

No casino in Stulang Laut

No casino in Stulang Laut, says Vincent Tan

Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the founder of Berjaya Corporation Bhd, has refuted speculations that a casino will be built within its property at the Berjaya Waterfront Hotel Johor Baru at Stulang Laut here.

He said he heard of such speculations which were circulated through the internet and other forms.

"It is true that there are pubs around here but to develop a casino is not one of the plans to improve the hotel as well as the adjoining Berjaya Waterfront Complex.

"The whole building is undergoing renovations which are needed to bring in new tenants for our retail outlets.

"The hotel and shopping mall is part of the 61-hectare land earmarked for development in Stulang Laut," he said after presenting cheques on behalf of Better Malaysia Foundation to 47 charitable organisations here today.

Vincent is the foundation president.

He said future projects in Stulang Laut includes commercial and high-rise residential development similar to that taking place at the Danga Bay.

He also said the company will try to reduce the number of drinking outlets and pubs in Stulang Laut, as the intention is to make the place more family-oriented.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Popular Warehouse Sale

No lack of tourist attractions

No lack of tourist attractions

I WAS assigned to cover the Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, at the Malaysian Productivity Corporation southern region office, where he launched the Johor Baru Taxi Driver Cooperative Bhd's 19th annual general meeting.

He also handed the keys to new Proton Persona taxis to drivers.

Khaled, who had once held the post of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development minister had suggested that in the near future the state's taxis should be replaced by Proton Exora cars.

The Proton Exora is a compact multi-purpose vehicle manufactured by Proton. Its name was inspired by the Ixora flower.

I spoke to several taxi drivers who are members of the cooperative. They said they paid a daily rental of RM50 for their taxi, and RM20 of the amount went to the cooperative which provided a hire-purchase service to members. So, the drivers will eventually own the vehicles that they are driving.

The cooperative was established in 1996 with only 40 members. At the last count in December, it had a membership of 300.

All the facts and figure that were given were impressive.

Khaled also spoke about the facilities that the state government had provided in smart partnerships to improve public transport facilities to be at par with Iskandar Malaysia, including grooming and language classes, a new application system and an easier way for the public to book taxis.

I thought it was a remarkable effort and would be welcomed by many.

Meanwhile, a taxi driver, who has been driving his taxi in Johor Baru for 20 years, said the authorities should produce a map of the city with interesting places that tourist could visit in a day.

He said he was lost at times when tourists asked him to take them to interesting places in the city.

"We do not have a museum. We no longer have the Rumah Limas and the former state administration centre, Bangunan Sultan Ibrahim, does not have activities for visitors," he said.

"Even the state art gallery is just a building without English-speaking guides. All there is to do here in the city is shopping and shopping complexes. Not all tourists are interested in shopping."

He said there were many tourist attractions like Legoland but tourists have to spend the whole day there.

I do not totally agree with the driver. Maybe there is a need for a map, but there are definitely places to visit in the city in a day.

Yes, the Sultan Abu Bakar Museum is closed because the Istana Besar palace ground is undergoing refurbishment works for the Sultan of Johor's upcoming coronation, but there are many beautiful structures and historical buildings in the city.

Let's start with Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Jalan Sengget and Jalan Ungku Puan and its vicinity. Besides Bukit Timbalan, I am sure tourists would be ecstatic to see the magnificent houses of worships.

The Arulmigu Rajamariamman Temple built in 1911, with its deities sculpted from single granite stones, the Sikh Gurdwara Sahib built in 1921, the Church of the Immaculate Conception built in 1927 and the Old Chinese Temple in Jalan Trus that was built in the 19th century, are brilliant tourist attractions.

There is also the majestic National State Mosque, the Masjid Sultan Abu Bakar, which is more than 100 years old.

There are arches with brilliant historical elements and the Chinese Heritage Museum.

There is also the Johor Zoo.


The Arulmigu Rajamariamman Devasthanam Temple was founded in 1911.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Transport system to get an overhaul

Transport system to get an overhaul

THE public transport system in the state will soon be upgraded, following the guarantee given by the Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin.

He said the system must be safe, reliable, effective, and the public must be confident of its services.

Khaled -- who officiated the Johor Baru Taxi Driver Cooperative Bhd's 19th Annual General Meeting held at the Malaysia Productivity Corporation's southern region office recently -- said the state government will be working closely with agencies to draft a plan to upgrade the transport service and resolve existing problems.

He said a public transport unit will be created and tasked with the responsibilities of improving the system and its service.

The 14 local authorities in the state will be roped in to enhance the system and increase accessibility.

Local councils will cooperate with the Iskandar Malaysia Public Transportation Board (PAIM) and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to contribute ideas which will be set out in a detailed draft.

He said bus and taxi drivers will be required to be professional and well-groomed as they are also the state's ambassadors.

"It's important that public transport drivers are able to communicate well and provide excellent service to locals and foreign visitors.

"The number of tourists entering the country through Johor has increased and it important that our services are on par with the state's rapid development," he said.

Iskandar Malaysia, with its international companies and state-of-the-art infrastructures, contribute to the influx of visitors who depend on public transport.

Among the areas which the authorities will look into to improve the service are English-language courses and grooming classes for drivers, and vehicle cleanliness.

Meanwhile, PAIM chief executive officer Mohd Gadaffie Abd Aziz said an application for public transport is being developed, and scheduled to be ready by August.

It will include food and dining promotions and attractions in Iskandar Malaysia.

Gadaffie said the upgraded system and services will attract a greater number of passengers and lessen vehicles on the road.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Direct flights with Xpress Air

Direct flights with Xpress Air

Indonesian airline Xpress Air, will commence flight services from the Senai International Airport here to two Indonesian cities beginning June 14.

Xpress Air director Henny Kurniawan said the airline will provide direct flight service from the airport to Pontianak in Western Kalimantan and Jogjakarta in Jawa three times a week.

"There are many similarities between Johor Baru and Pontianak in terms of culture, food as well as way of life.

"This explains why we choose Johor Baru as our second city in Malaysia after Kuching in Sarawak where we commenced flights last year.

"There is a big demand for the Pontianak-Johor Baru sector as Johor Baru has several unique attractions for tourists," he said after announcing the new routes here recently.

Present was state Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Keong.

In conjunction with the new flight service to Johor Baru, the airline is offering a promotional fare of RM265 for the Johor Baru-Pontianak sector within the first month of its service.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Uniqlo branches out to Johor

Uniqlo branches out to Johor

UNIQLO (M) Bhd opened its first outlet in Johor recently. Located at Level 3 of Johor Baru City Square, the opening marks Uniqlo's entry into Iskandar Malaysia in the southern region after its presence in the Klang Valley, Penang and Malacca.

Its operations manager, Ito Yuichi, said: "We are proud to be expanding to Johor for the first time.

"We are continuously reaching out to states that have high demand from Uniqlo fans," he said.

The new outlet, which is the 15th in the country, offers the latest collection from the Uniqlo LifeWear Spring/Summer 2014 collection for men, women, kids and babies.

For the 2014 Spring/Summer season, Uniqlo has focused more on creating pieces made from fabrics that offer a soft, comfortable experience through nine distinct design projects: linen, supima cotton, jeans, polo shirts, smart style pants, Topics! -- Lush & Bloom, AlRism, bratop and steteco & relaco.

Core basics like Uniqlo jeans and polo shirts are improving, and the Spring/Summer season is no exception. These wardrobe staples now enjoy a modern update, with a wide selection of cuts and colours.

This season also showcases a variety of UT (Uniqlo T-shirts) designs for men, women, and kids created under Nigo -- Uniqlo's first creative director for the UT brand.

To celebrate the momentous occasion, customers who spend RM200 nett per receipt will receive the Uniqlo tote bag for free.

For the latest updates, visit www.uniqlo.com/my/ 

Ito Yuichi at the opening of Uniqlo’s 15th outlet located at the Johor Baru City Square.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Litterbugs make a mess of Air Papan

Litterbugs make a mess of Air Papan

Even though rubbish bins have been provided by the Mersing District Council and Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (PPSPPA), some irresponsible people are throwing rubbish indiscriminately at tourist attractions in the district.

These include the once pristine Air Papan beach. It is in danger of losing its reputation as rubbish is strewn all over the place by inconsiderate visitors.

Air Papan recorded more than half a million visitors last year. It is known for its natural splendour and jungle trekking activities. Every May 1, a festival called Pesta Air Papan is held here with cultural shows and traditional games, and local delicacies.

Many homestays and chalets have mushroomed along Pantai Gorek beach, Penyambung and Tanjung Resang to cater to the increasing number of visitors but there is a lot of rubbish along the main roads. A villager, who declined to be named, said the authorities should step up enforcement and slap heavier penalties on those who litter as a deterrent. The villager, who sells bottled drinking water and titbits to visitors, said he often saw locals, especially youngsters, throw food wrappers on the beach even though a rubbish bin was in sight.

He said picnickers also threw leftovers into the sea and these were washed ashore later.

He said he had also seen rubbish such as food and baby’s diapers being thrown out of the windows of moving vehicles.

Intan Nur Jannah Mat Rawi, a 25-year-old visitor, said locals continued to have a couldn’ care less attitude despite countless nationwide awareness campaigns against littering.

“Foreigners often carry rubbish bags and ensure that they put their rubbish into these bags and take them along when they leave, while locals just litter everywhere. “When they are told to pick up their rubbish, some of them become violent and asked us to mind our own business,” she said.

Air Papan village security and development committee chairman Mohd Asri Jaafar said he was ashamed of the attitudes of several chalet operators who contributed to the problem by throwing rubbish by the roadside.

He said it was embarrassing to see visitors, especially foreigners, pinching their noses because of the foul smell.

He said some visitors took pictures of the rubbish and uploaded it on their Facebook pages and blogs, and criticised the authorities for not taking the appropriate measures.

PPSPPA director Asri Amat said: “We have distributed free wheelie bins, or rubbish bins fitted with wheels for easy disposal, with a capacity of 1,100 litters in Air Papan. “There are also compactor rubbish trucks that pick up rubbish six times a week and cleaners who sweep the roads and clean the area. We have invested our resources to provide a strategic and effective disposal service. All that is needed here is for the people to change their attitude and dispose of their rubbish into bins.”


Air Papan recorded more than half a million visitors last year.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Free Johor Cab app launched

Free Johor Cab app launched

Malaysian Association of Taxi/Limousine Drivers and Operators and Car Rental Operators (Petekma) Johor branch launched a new smartphone application called Johor Cab on Saturday in a bid to offer better service to the public.

The smartphone application, developed in collaboration with Taxi Monger Sdn Bhd, is the first product offered by Petekma Johor for users in the state.

Johor Petekma chairman Jefry Jaafar said with Johor Cab, users only need to download the application into their smartphones to enjoy the free service.

"With Johor Cab, users can hail a taxi or rental car quickly. When the caller books a taxi, the taxi driver's personal details will be displayed on the smartphone," he said.

Jefrey was speaking after launching the smartphone application held in conjunction with the association's annual general meeting.

Jefrey said he hoped the application could bring a positive impact and transform the public transport in Johor.

Taxi Monger business development officer Zairolhamisam Mohamed Rani said similar applications have already been introduced in several locations including Kuala Lumpur, Klang Valley, Seremban and Penang.

"The applications can be used by Android and iPhone users. The response is favourable.

"For instance, in the Klang Valley alone, 40,000 users have already subscribed for the service.

"In Johor, Taxi Monger will work with the Senai International Airport as it is one of the popular destinations," he said.

Also present were Mohammad Khairi A. Malik, the political secretary to the Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Petekma president Mohd Syahrir Abdul Aziz .

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~