‘Measures needed to face rough seas’

Md Salikon says Johor should focus on attracting more capital-intensive and high-technology investments. – Filepic

BUSINESS associations in Johor are calling on the Federal and state governments to come out with stimulus packages in anticipation of a recession next year.

Iskandar Malaysia Johor Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretary-general Md Salikon Sarpin said the government needed to focus on navigating the country through rough seas due to economic uncertainties.

Md Salikon, who is also Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry southern region councillor, said businesses were likely to downsize their operations next year as a global recession was expected in 2023.

He hoped that the new Federal Government would consider reintroducing the loan moratorium measure which was introduced during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the move would help businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, continue their operations during tough times.

“The state government could also reduce business licence fees,” he added.

Md Salikon said Johor should focus on attracting more capital-intensive and high-technology investments instead of labour-intensive manufacturing activities.

“Don’t treat technology as a roadblock but as an enabler to move forward,’’ he urged.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Johor chapter chairman Ivan Teo said Tourism Johor should actively promote the state to attract more domestic visitors from up north.

He said the association would work closely with Tourism Johor to encourage tourists to explore less-travelled places in the state, especially rural areas.

Teo said that while Johor had popular attractions like Desaru coast, Legoland Theme Park and Johor Premium Outlets, more needed to be done to market and promote new places.

These new places included fruit and vegetable farms, jungles, islands as well as waterfalls which provided family-oriented activities outside Johor Baru district, he noted.

“There are many places of interest in Batu Pahat, Muar and Mersing.

“We can attract many more tourists to these districts with the right marketing strategies,’’ he added.

Highway woes

Johor Indian Business Association president P. Sivakumar urged the North-South Highway concessionaire to provide immediate solutions to traffic congestion along the route.

“This is causing a lot of delays and losses to businesses,’’ he noted.

Sivakumar said economic development would be hampered if people were not able to get to their destinations on time due to traffic congestion.

He highlighted that traffic congestion along the highway also resulted in higher fuel consumption.

“Highway concessionaires must be reminded that it is their responsibility to provide unhindered traffic flow,’’ he said.

To ensure this, Sivakumar said road repair works should be carried out at night and not during the day.

He also wanted the Federal Government to consider expanding the North-South Highway from Pagoh to Johor Baru under Budget 2023, instead of from Senai Utara to Johor Baru as announced by then Finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz on Oct 7.

Sivakumar explained that traffic volume often started to build up on the highway in the northern part of Johor where the six lanes from Melaka were reduced to four.

The revised Budget 2023 is expected to be tabled in Parliament on Feb 24.

Sivakumar also urged the Federal Government to revisit the shelved plan to expand the Yong Peng-Johor Baru stretch to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI).

“The expansion will generate economic spillover not only in south Johor but also to other districts outside Iskandar Malaysia,” he added.

The project was announced in April 2018 as part of the state Barisan Nasional GE14 campaign manifesto by the then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The expansion project for the 102km Yong Peng-Johor Baru stretch ending at Senai Utara along the North-South Highway did not materialise after Barisan lost in the elections.