PEKAN NANAS: A new bus terminal in Pekan Nanas will improve public transport, ease the burden on commuters and bring more visitors to the town, says Pakatan Harapan candidate Yeo Tung Siong.
Yeo, who is contesting the Pekan Nanas state seat, said the proposal was among eight pledges in his manifesto, which also covers road connectivity, youth employment, community facilities and fair development under the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
He said many Pekan Nanas residents travel to Singapore for work, with a large number depending on motorcycles for their daily commute.
"If there is a proper bus terminal with routes to Johor Baru, Woodlands or the Second Link, residents will have another option.
"Some may still choose to ride their motorcycles, but when they are tired, they can take the bus. We need this kind of planning if we want Pekan Nanas to become a better place to live," he said in an interview.
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Yeo said better bus links would also support tourism, especially as Pekan Nanas has homestays and the potential to attract backpackers and other visitors.
"If tourists can take a direct bus from Johor Baru to Pekan Nanas, it will be much easier for them. This can help the local economy and tourism sector," he said.
His manifesto also includes pushing for the Ulu Choh-Pekan Nanas shortcut, the Pekan Nanas outer ring road, improved road links, and assessment tax exemption for low-cost and affordable homes.
Yeo said the JS-SEZ should also benefit locals fairly, especially young people, small businesses and traders in Pekan Nanas.
"We must make sure local people, especially young people here, can get better-paying jobs from the development taking place under the special economic zone," he said.
Other pledges include reviving local heritage, agro-tourism and cultural identity, as well as building more family-friendly recreational areas, sports fields and community centres.
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The former two-term Pekan Nanas assemblyman said traffic congestion remained one of the main issues in the constituency, adding that several major infrastructure plans required closer follow-up.
"Some plans were already included when I was assemblyman, including one under the 2021 Johor Budget, but until today there has been little progress.
"This is why large projects must be followed up closely. If I am given the mandate again, I hope to do more for the people of Pekan Nanas," he said.
Yeo, 47, who was born in Pontian, said his track record was one of his strengths, citing several projects carried out during Pakatan's 20-month administration in Johor after the 2018 general election.
These included upgrading the Pekan Nanas public market, building a covered basketball court in front of SJKC Yu Ming and upgrading the hawker centre along Jalan Besar Pekan Nanas.
In Pekan Nanas, DAP's Yeo is facing MCA’s Tan Eng Meng for the third time. Both men have defeated each other once.
Yeo first won the seat in 2013 and retained it in 2018 after defeating Tan, before losing to him in the 2022 state election.
He described the current contest as challenging, saying voter turnout would be crucial, particularly among outstation voters and those working in Singapore.
Yeo said he won in 2018 when turnout exceeded 80%, but lost in 2022 when turnout fell to about 60% due to Covid-19 and cross-border travel restrictions.
"If turnout can reach 70% to 80%, I still have a chance. That is why I hope voters, especially those working outside Pekan Nanas, will return to cast their ballots," he said.
