Pengerang: Pengerang Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has urged the Johor state government to consider granting district status to her constituency, citing its rapid economic growth and strategic importance.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azalina emphasized that the recognition would enable the area to receive better access to public facilities and government services, in line with its development as a key economic hub, particularly in the oil and gas sector. Currently part of the Kota Tinggi district, Pengerang is part of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and has attracted multi-billion ringgit investments, including the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC) by Petronas and the Desaru Coast integrated resort managed by a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

‘We are fortunate to have these developments. Now, we await the possibility that His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim may consider elevating Pengerang to district status. If that happens, I believe it will pave the way for more infrastructure projects such as new government offices, a hospital, district police headquarters and other essential facilities,’ she said. Azalina, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), made these remarks during the Felda Fit 2.0 and Bakti MADANI Pengerang event at Felda Air Tawar 1.

Johor currently comprises 10 districts: Johor Bahru, Pontian, Kluang, Batu Pahat, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Kulai, Segamat, Muar, and Tangkak. The PIPC, also known as the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project, includes an oil refinery, petrochemical facilities, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and a regasification plant.