Johor: Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Yong Peng state seat in the 16th Johor state election, Yong Hui Yi, hopes to rebrand the town from a stopover along the North-South Expressway into a vibrant economic hub with greater job and business opportunities for the local community.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Yong, 31, stated that Yong Peng's strategic position in central Johor remains an underutilised asset, despite the thousands of vehicles passing through the area every day. She emphasized that the traffic should be harnessed to drive economic growth that benefits small traders, local entrepreneurs, and young people, rather than serving solely as a transit route for highway users.
She elaborated on her vision, saying, "If Yong Peng is developed as a transport and logistics hub, a supporting ecosystem would need to be established, including food stalls, workshops, retail shops, vehicle services, homestays and opportunities for small businesses in the surrounding area." Yong, who also serves as the Johor DAP publicity assistant secretary, proposed the 'driver's house' concept, which would provide facilities for highway users while stimulating the local economy.
Yong highlighted Yong Peng's potential beyond logistics, urging development in modern agriculture, small and medium enterprises, and supply chains to support the state's economic growth. She called for expanded skills training, collaboration with government agencies, and coordination with companies and investors to ensure employment opportunities for local youths.
Acknowledging the lure of opportunities elsewhere for young people, Yong stressed the importance of making Yong Peng a viable place for young residents to envision their future. She pointed to large-scale projects such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) as opportunities to ensure semi-urban areas like Yong Peng benefit from development spillovers.
Yong noted that the demand for logistics, food supply, modern agriculture, support services, and small and medium industries would rise with the development of JS-SEZ, positioning Yong Peng as a potential support hub for the state's economic development. During her campaign, residents consistently expressed concerns about job opportunities for young people, the cost of living, public amenities, and cleanliness issues, including problems with flies and foul odours.
Yong stated that her priorities, if elected, would be to enhance public service delivery, assess residents' needs, and promote economic development to include Yong Peng in logistics, modern agriculture, and supply chain planning. Despite acknowledging the challenges of being a young candidate, she believes her experience working with prominent MPs has equipped her to manage public issues effectively. Yong is contesting the Yong Peng seat in a straight fight with incumbent Ling Tian Soon of Barisan Nasional (BN).