Zaid Ibrahim contrasted Kelantan’s approach to development with that of Johor, noting that Kelantan leaders seem to only focus on the absence of nightclubs and giving negative thoughts.

“They don’t have money to repair broken pipes, collect daily rubbish, irrigate the padi fields, or have facilities to attract more investors. Yet they want to build walls,” he said in an X posting today.

Kelantan’s government announced the wall proposal on Tuesday, saying that it would bring the project to the federal government for approval due to its potential to curb smuggling and assist in flood control.

Kelantan remains one of Malaysia’s poorest states, contributing only 1.8% to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2023.

The east coast state has long struggled with issues like clean water access and inadequate infrastructure.

Zaid’s comments follow his recent visit to Forest City, Johor. The state under menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s leadership has seen significant economic growth with initiatives like the one-stop investment programme in Kulai.

“Onn Hafiz is a young man who will make Johor a developed state, a worthy hinterland for Singapore,” he said, wishing his home state also had a “young, dynamic” menteri besar.

Kelantan’s current menteri besar is Nassuruddin Daud, who is 59 years old.

As such, Zaid called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to identify a young leader from his party, PKR, who can be groomed and trained to administer Kelantan, proposing a 10-year leadership development plan.

“The process must start now so the country’s wealth will flow to Kelantan. The Kelantanese are a dynamic lot, but it needs a leader. Let the search begin,” he said.