Johor menteri besar Hasni Mohammad said today the reopening of the border was a fundamental component of the state’s economic recovery efforts.
The reopening of the border was expected to reinvigorate the retail and tourism sectors as well as revive economic activities in the city and nearby districts of Johor Bahru, he said, adding that it would also bring back growth in the real estate sector.
“I hope the Johor state government is directly involved in initiatives for the opening of the land routes involving the Johor Causeway and Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua).
“State government representatives need to be included in the joint committee or secretariat to carry out important initiatives for Johor,” the menteri besar said during the winding-up session at the state assembly sitting at the Sultan Ismail Building here.
“Hopefully, cross-border movement between Johor and Singapore can be revived with the appropriate SOPs. We can also implement the Periodic Commuting Arrangement and reciprocal green lane facilities,” said Hasni (BN-Benut). “The possibility of creating a daily commuting arrangement or travel bubble will also be discussed.”
He also disclosed that Singapore had donated more than nine million pieces of medical equipment such as ventilators and face masks to Johor due to the close relationship between the state and the republic.
Bipartisan committee
Hasni also said that a bipartisan committee of state government and opposition elected representatives would be formed to study Johor’s post-Covid-19 socioeconomic policy proposals.
He told the assembly that the committee, which would include the deputy state secretaries and heads of federal and state departments and agencies, was among measures aimed at improving engagement between government officials and state assemblymen.
Among the proposals were the provision of special development allocations periodically for all assemblymen, holding briefing sessions with them outside the state assembly’s calendar and reforming the state assembly if necessary or appropriate.
“In my opinion, it is apt for the state government to improve engagement with elected representatives. This should not be a one-off event, but a permanent feature.
“It should also be improved upon in order to have a positive impact on the system of democracy that we uphold,” he said.
“The provision of special allocations for the state assemblymen will continue based on the need to fund various pro-people projects in their constituencies, with the state government allocating RM130,000 for each assemblyman last year and RM350,000 this year,” he added.
Hasni also said the state government was committed to hearing the views of opposition elected representatives through briefing sessions and discussions in the future, and the soonest this would be held would be in the drawing up of the 2022 Johor budget by the state government.
On reforming the state assembly, he gave his commitment to the setting up of more select committees in the future.
“However, there is no need for the honourable members of the opposition to be in the state and district-level action committees as this involves the implementation of government policies,” he said.
On boosting the initiatives for people facing hardship, Hasni said the state government would, among others, be assisting small traders who had not registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia to do so, and providing support services to those who have lost their family members to Covid-19.
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