JOHOR BARU: Consultations between Malaysia and Singapore should continue to hasten economic recovery on both sides, say the local business communities.
They said the visit by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong earlier this week was a good indicator of the republic’s commitment to working with its closest neighbour.
Johor Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry secretary Datuk K. Krishnan said such visits would allow both sides to find solutions to major issues.
“As the future leader of the island republic, it is important for Wong to visit its closest neighbour, Malaysia, to be aware of major issues that need to be tackled before assuming his role as Singapore Prime Minister.
“Such face-to-face visit is important as it helps create a friendly relationship between the two countries that is very much dependent on each other, especially in terms of the economy,” he said.
He added that business groups here were also looking forward to meeting Wong to discuss ways to further boost the local economy with cooperation from Singapore.
Johor Tourist Guides Association president Jimmy Leong Wei Kong said the two governments should find ways to tackle congestion on the Causeway.
“This has been a major issue for decades and it is time for the two countries to find a long-term solution for this.
“We need to make travel easier between the two countries, especially between Singapore and Johor.
“Over the years, many new technological advancements have been discovered and I believe we can put them to good use at the two land crossings we share,” he said.
He also hoped there would be more visits in the future involving Singapore leaders to Johor.
“Johor is the closest state to Singapore and is very much affected by policies made at the federal level,” he said.
State tourism, environment, heritage and culture committee chairman K. Raven Kumar said they looked forward to welcoming more Singapore leaders to Johor.
“Recently, Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi visited Singapore to further strengthen the relationship between the state and the island republic.
“Following that, state Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Lee Ting Han also made several visits.
“These visits are important for the development of Johor, especially in terms of increasing foreign investment,” he said.
