Good response to Iskandar Malaysia open day

JOHOR BARU: The Iskandar Malaysia open day, held for the first time on a large scale attracted a large crowd as many wanted to see the plans and future development within the mammoth project.

Besides locals, it also attracted foreigners including Singaporeans.

Local construction worker Kong Thien Loi, 56, said the development of Iskandar Malaysia would be good for Johoreans.

“With the kind of investment coming in, it will create jobs here and it will benefit the economy as well.

“The establishment of EduCity with the Newcastle University of Medicine (NUMed) Malaysia will give the students here an opportunity to study locally.

Student Mohd Yusof Mohd Razif, 18, believes that Iskandar Malaysia would not only attract investors but tourists as well.

“When Legoland is complete, I think that it will be the main tourist attraction not only in Johor but also in the country.

“It will attract local tourists and foreigners to stay in Johor longer instead of just passing through on their way to the north,” he said.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) lecturer Muhammad Imzan Hassan, 33, believes that Iskandar Malaysia would put Malaysia, especially Johor, on the world map.

“But I think that the marketing needs to be more aggressive to attract foreign investors.

“The open day gives people a chance to see what they are planning for Iskandar Malaysia,” he said, adding that this was the first time there was such a large scale exhibition showcasing the event.

Another visitor Christine Teo, 40, hopes that the development of Iskandar Malaysia would not be just all talk.

“Hopefully, the government is not over ambitious and I hope this project goes on smoothly, she said.

Retiree Mohamad Ismail Selamat, 63, who is a Singaporean, described the project as a great achievement for Malaysia.

“With the investors coming in and the tall buildings in Iskandar Malaysia, it will change the landscape in Johor.

“But the important thing is to keep the area within Iskandar Malaysia clean because if you do not maintain cleanliness, it will chase away investors,” he said.

Ismail added that Iskandar Malaysia would serve as a win-win project for both Malaysia and Singapore as both countries were located next to each other.

Another visitor, car salesman G. Suresh, 40, hoped that the project would mirror similar projects in Dubai.

“With the state government moving to Nusajaya, I also hope emphasis will be made to ensure Johor Baru continues to be vibrant,” he said.

A total of 50,000 people took part in the three-day event themed “A Vision for All” recently.

The exhibition featured participation from more than 15 partners of Iskandar Malaysia including Johor State Investment Centre (JSIC), Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA).

Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB), UEM Land Berhad, Johor Corp, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Senai Airport, MSC Cyberport, the police and fire and rescue department also took part.

Besides the exhibition, there were other activities such as cultural performances including Indian Folk and Bollywood Dance Show, Chinese Wushu Dance Show and Malay Cultural Dance Show.

There were also clowns, puzzle games and Lego challenges for children.

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive officer Harun Johari described the response as very encouraging.

“We are very happy with the response this time around and I believe that we have been able to meet our objective of creating higher awareness among the public on Iskandar Malaysia,” added Harun.

Besides exhibitions and activities, visitors also took the opportunity to sign up for the Safe Home Campaign, which is being held during the school holidays until June 14.

Housewife Rosnita Osman, 57, said the Safe Home Campaign would benefit the community as it allowed folk to get to know their neighbours better.

Lorry driver P. Mahendran, 47, said this was the first time he had heard about the campaign and hoped the police would continue patrolling their neighbourhood even after the campaign.

The Safe Home Campaign is jointly organised by the state police, IRDA, Danga City Mall and The Star.

This year, the campaign is from May 30 to June 14.

The public can also register by calling the police hotline at 07-221 2999.