Johor bahru: Kota Iskandar's status as the seat of the Johor state administration and a hub for major development projects must bring tangible benefits to the people, not merely be reflected in investment figures and economic growth, said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate contesting the seat in the Johor state election.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dzulkefly Ahmad highlighted that feedback gathered during the campaign revealed several basic issues that remain a concern for residents and require more comprehensive solutions. He identified infrastructure, traffic congestion, flooding, land status of places of worship, educational facilities, and the improvement of public amenities as the most frequently raised issues by the community.
"With investments worth RM110 billion, state revenue of RM2.67 billion, and state reserves amounting to RM2.8 billion, the people should be able to enjoy the benefits of such development. We should not merely focus on the numbers while those on the ground do not experience the benefits," Dzulkefly told Bernama.
Dzulkefly emphasized the need to address land ownership issues, particularly concerning non-Muslim places of worship like the Ladang Lam Sam Temple in Kangkar Pulai, which has yet to resolve its land title despite being surrendered to the state government for the temple's benefit.
He also pointed out the necessity of upgrading the unpaved shortcut to the Tamil national-type school in the Nusantara area via Bukit Tempurung, as well as addressing the persistent traffic congestion along the FT005 and J07 routes connecting Johor Bahru and Gelang Patah.
The candidate further identified frequent flooding in Kampung Baru Muafakat and Kampung Pulai, along with unresolved land ownership issues in Kampung Pulai Mutiara, as urgent matters needing resolution through coordinated efforts among relevant agencies rather than ad hoc measures.
"I find that some of the solutions implemented previously were temporary and ad hoc in nature. What is needed are long-term solutions that can comprehensively ease congestion because it affects the daily lives of residents," Dzulkefly noted.
He also pledged to pursue the construction of a new public market in Gelang Patah should PH be given the mandate to form the Johor state government in the election on July 11. He mentioned the current facility, Taman Nusa Perintis Market, faces several issues, including land ownership, parking space, and inadequate infrastructure for the rapidly growing area.
"Therefore, if PH forms the government, we will ensure that a new public market is built there because Gelang Patah is no ordinary area. The state administrative centre is located here, as are the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Legoland, and Puteri Harbour," he stated.
Dzulkefly shared that his campaign would focus on face-to-face engagement to hear people's concerns directly while also utilizing social media and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to connect with young voters and Generation Z.
The Kota Iskandar constituency, with 132,579 registered voters, is witnessing a four-cornered contest involving Dzulkefly, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate S. Anna Pravina, incumbent Datuk Pandak Ahmad representing Barisan Nasional (BN), and Sahrudin Omar of Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama).