ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Federal government has allocated a total of RM4.6bil through Budget 2021 for 434 development projects, including 79 new projects in Johor, says Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department said several major high-impact projects would catalyse Johor's economic growth, implemented under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
"Among those projects include the Gemas-Johor Baru electrified double-tracking rail project, Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, and construction of Pasir Gudang Hospital.
"Other projects under 12MP in the state also included the construction of a primary school with 36 classrooms in Kulai and the people's housing project in Ulu Tiram," he added.
Mustapa said this in a press conference after attending the 12MP roadshow with the state government in Kota Iskandar here on Sunday (Nov 14).
He added that Johor's participation in the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) would have a big impact on the state's economy.
Mustapa said Johor was one of the major contributing states to the nation's economy in 2020 besides Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak.
"Johor's average gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 3.1% per annum, which is above the national average of 2.7% per annum between 2016 and 2020," he added.
He added that as the state was also one of the main entry points into the country for tourists, its economic growth was led by the services sector, particularly in the wholesale and retail trade, food and beverage and accommodation sub-sectors.
"This is followed by the manufacturing sector especially in electrical, electronic and optical products," he added.
Mustapa said the close relationship between the Federal and the state governments would help speed up the development planning implemented, especially the implementation of the 12MP.
