Johor mega projects revival begins next year

Keeping it clean: Osman (third from left) presenting an anti-graft oath document to Johor MACC director Datuk Azmi Alias (left) during the Johor Councillors Convention at Persada Johor Baru. Looking on are Johor State Speaker Suhaizan Kayat (right) and state secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani.

JOHOR BARU: Several mega project, including construction of the “crooked bridge” and an airport in Mersing, could start next year, said Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian.

He said the design of the proposed bridge to replace the 95-year-old one has not been fina­l­ised and could be different from the original idea.

“The construction might take place next year and it may or may not be crooked as we have yet to finalise the design,” he said when met after officiating the Johor councillors’ convention here yesterday.

He said the state was not after a status symbol but wanted the bridge to be a reality.

The revival of the project (to build the bridge) “had been widely expla­ined by the state and had not generated negative public feedback”.

“This is to solve the congestion at both entry points (of the Causeway) where it only gets worse during holidays,” he added.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Maha­thir Mohamad, who mooted the project during his first tenure in office, previously said that Malay­sia does not need Singa­pore’s consent for the crooked bridge.

As Singapore did not agree to the project, which was shelved by the Barisan Nasional government back in 2006, its design was modified to incorporate a sharp curve on the Malaysian side, which would allow vessels to pass underneath, thus earning it its “crooked” moniker.

The bridge would then join the unmodified part of its structure from the Singapore side.

On the airport in Mersing, Osman said it would fall under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) development.

He said the airport would be for light aeroplanes and would not only attract tourists but also make Mersing a hub to repair and maintain such planes.