10 hours ago
Hygiene woes swamp Gelang Patah
Pandak at the state assembly sitting raising his constituents' concerns about safety and cleanliness.
LACK of cleanliness and the presence of foreign workers in shoplots in Gelang Patah can tarnish the area's image, says a Johor assemblyman.
Speaking at the state assembly sitting, Datuk Pandak Ahmad (BN-Kota Iskandar) said quick action was needed to ensure the area remained clean, safe and comfortable for residents.
'Many of the three-storey shophouses near an industrial park in Tanjung Pelepas, Gelang Patah, have been turned into foreign workers' accommodation.
'The area could be labelled as a 'little Bangladesh town' due to the presence of these foreigners.
'Some of these foreigners are even operating sundry shops without valid licences,' Pandak said in his speech during the debate session of the state assembly meeting at Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar.
He expressed hope that the Labour Department, Iskandar Puteri City Council and related agencies would address these issues because rubbish strewn in the back alleys of the shoplots had become a common sight.
Separately, Tan Eng Meng (BN-Pekan Nanas) in his speech thanked the state government for not sidelining Pontian in development plans.
He was glad that serious attention had been given to districts such as Pontian, where his state constituency is located, rather than just focusing on economic developments only in areas such as Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang.
'One of the significant developments in Pontian is the Tropicana Industrial Park in Pekan Nanas, involving a major investment of RM2bil by Alton Industry Ltd Group.
'This development will create new job opportunities for locals and strengthen the industrial sector that forms the backbone of the district's economic development.
'In fact, the presence of this new facility, which functions as a research and development hub, marks a major leap for Pekan Nanas,' said Tan.
Alton is a US-based global supplier of consumer and commercial tools, appliances and floor care.
Tan pointed out that the project had opened up vast opportunities for local talents to develop their potential in the high-tech field, which was becoming increasingly vital.
