Celebrating tradition and unity: A family looking at festive decorations at the Deepavali bazaar at Jalan Ungku Puan here. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: About 40,000 Indian families in Johor will receive food baskets containing daily necessities in conjunction with this year’s Deepavali celebration.
Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the initiative reflects the government’s appreciation towards the Indian community in the state.
“The effort was also endorsed by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, who is the Sultan of Johor,” Onn Hafiz said in his speech before officiating the Deepavali Bazaar at Little India here on Sunday night.
State unity, culture and heritage committee chairman K. Raven Kumar said RM4.9mil has been allocated for the programme.
“The distribution, which began across all 56 state constituencies, is expected to be completed this week. Each basket, worth about RM100, contains essential items such as rice, cooking oil and curry powder to help families prepare for Deepavali,” he added.
In his speech, Onn Hafiz said Little India is poised to become a major tourism attraction once the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link connecting Johor Baru and Singapore opens on Jan 1, 2027.
He added that the completion of the RTS project, together with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), would transform Johor Baru’s landscape and boost its economic potential within the next year.
“I am confident that Johor Baru will see a major transformation within the next 12 months, not only because of the JS-SEZ but also due to the RTS Link project.
“Once it is operational, about 10,000 people will be able to cross the border every hour using the RTS. This means more visitors and tourists will be coming into Johor Baru, and Little India must become one of the key attractions,” he said.
Onn Hafiz said the state government plans to beautify and revitalise the area within a 3km radius from the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) and the upcoming RTS station.
He said the initiative aims to turn Johor Baru into a leading tourism hub in the state.
“This is not just my responsibility or that of local authorities such as Johor Baru City Council (MBJB). It must be a collective effort involving the entire community to ensure Johor continues to develop and become a major tourism destination,” he added.
He also called on Johoreans of all races to continue fostering unity and working together to strengthen the state’s harmony and progress.
“In Johor, regardless of race – Malay, Chinese or Indian – we are all part of one family, the Bangsa Johor family.
“Unity is our strength. Together, we can build a stronger and more prosperous Johor,” he added.
