Latest news with #Jafni
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Johor Zoo beats the heat with blood ice cubes and fruit popsicles
JOHOR BAHRU - With the scorching heatwave, Johor Zoo has intensified health checks and implemented measures to protect the animals, which includes creative feeding, says a state executive councillor. Johor housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Jafni Shukor said the zoo focused on ensuring water sources are clean and sufficient, including for animals that rely on water to cool off, such as the Malayan tapir, tiger, hippopotamus and crocodile. 'Zookeepers are constantly monitoring and refilling pools to ensure the animals have access to sufficient water. It is a crucial step in helping wildlife regulate their body temperature during the extreme weather,' he said when contacted. The Bukit Permai assemblyman also said Johor Zoo has introduced creative feeding enrichments to help animals adapt to the hot conditions. He said carnivores are being provided with blood ice cubes while fruit eating species enjoy fruit popsicles made by the zookeepers. 'These treats help the animals at the zoo stay cool while keeping them mentally stimulated in their enclosures,' Mr Jafni said. He noted that health monitoring has been intensified with veterinarians and zoologists conducting regular checks on the animals to ensure their well-being. He said this is made with the support of the Johor Veterinary Department and the state Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan). 'Zookeepers are the frontliners in ensuring the animals' welfare. With the support of veterinary experts and relevant agencies, we are doing everything necessary to maintain the highest standards of care,' he said. Separately, Mr Jafni said that he recently carried out a working visit to Johor Zoo to inspect the ongoing second phase development plan for the 97-year-old zoo, which began earlier in May. He said the upgrades were part of a broader vision to position the zoo as a flagship tourism destination ahead of Visit Johor 2026. 'My visit was to ensure that all planning is on track to transform Johor Zoo into a major tourism hub for the state. 'With a total allocation of RM7 million (S$2.1 million), the second phase focuses on internal improvements. This includes upgrading animal enclosures, disability and stroller friendly pathways, as well as the development of a new night zoo, designed to offer a more interactive and engaging experience for visitors,' he said. Mr Jafni added that since its reopening on Aug 31, 2024, Johor Zoo has seen a remarkable increase in public interest. He said annual visitor numbers, which previously averaged around 400,000, have surged to an estimated one million over the past year. He said the jump in visitor numbers was something to be proud of, adding that it can help increase Johor Zoo's revenue from RM1.5 million to RM7 million annually. 'This is an extraordinary achievement, driven by visitor- friendly initiatives and infrastructure upgrades. As Malaysia's oldest zoo located in the heart of Johor Bahru, this transformation honours not only the zoo's legacy, but also the city's heritage. 'Enhanced facilities such as e-ticketing, shuttle bus services and more attractive zoning designs have contributed to its rising popularity, not only among locals but also international visitors, particularly from neighbouring Singapore,' he said. Mr Jafni added the state government is committed to positioning Johor Zoo as a must-visit attraction during Visit Johor 2026. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Johor blacklists five developers over failure to build affordable homes
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Five developers have been blacklisted for failing to build affordable homes in Johor while 10 others are under scrutiny, says state executive councillor Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor. The housing and local government committee chairman said punitive action was taken against stubborn developers that failed to build Johor Affordable Housing Scheme (RMMJ) units in spite of discussions and warnings. He said the Johor Affordable Housing Policy 2023 strictly states that every housing project spanning 2.02ha (5 acres) and above must allocate 40% for RMMJ units. Projects covering 1.2ha to 2.02ha (3 acres to 5 acres) of land have to allocate 20% for RMMJ, he added. 'This policy is not a mere guideline but the main condition that must be complied with by every developer when presenting plans to agencies such as the local council. 'Project applications that fail to comply with the policy will not even be considered, let alone approved,' he told the state assembly at Kota Iskandar here on Friday (May 23). He also told the assembly that some developers used 'cunning tactics' by carving out projects into smaller parcels below 1.2ha to avoid allocating 40% of the area for affordable housing. Jafni said the Johor Housing Development Corporation and agencies such as the Land and Mines Office and local councils had taken action such as stopping new project applications by developers that failed to build affordable homes. Punitive action included placing a Registrar's Caveat on land owned by the developer in question and also its subsidiaries and related companies that share the same board members, he added. 'Take note that these developers were not blacklisted (all of a sudden); discussions were held and they promised to build affordable homes but seemed to forget their promises after leaving the meetings," he said.
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Climate
- New Straits Times
Johor allocates RM213mil for 353 flood management projects
ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government has allocated RM213 million for the implementation of 353 flood management projects in flood hotspot areas, involving 16 local government authorities (PBTs) since 2023. State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said that for 2025 alone, the state government has allocated RM106.2 million to implement 104 projects in flood hotspots involving 16 PBTs. He said the Johor Bahru City Council received the highest allocation of RM42.4 million to implement 16 flood management projects, followed by the Iskandar Puteri City Council (RM36.1 million; 13 projects), Pasir Gudang City Council (RM9.1 million; 16 million) and the Kulai Municipal Council (RM5.7 million; 15 projects). Implementation of the projects involved, among others, upgrading reservoirs, building small dams along drains and raising the drain walls to avoid flooding in the low-lying areas, he said, adding that the methods for solving the flood issue vary from area to area. Apart from that, he said, there also needs to be control in terms of development. "We have found over the past three years that among the causes of areas that used to be flood-free but are now flooded is because of uncontrolled development," he told reporters here today. Jafni said there was also a need to improve the conditions and specifications for drainage and flood management in planning permission in line with the rapid pace of development and changing rainfall patterns. "The specifications given to these developers are specifications that are 10, 15 years old and are not relevant to the amount of rainfall that falls now, which has increased five or six times. "If we control the development part, and we solve these flood hotspot areas, InsyaAllah, the (flood) problems can be resolved," he said.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Every segment of society will have access to affordable housing, Johor assembly told
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor is ramping up its efforts to give every segment of society, particularly those in rural areas and the B40 group, access to quality and affordable housing. Housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the state government has committed to building 100,000 units of Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RMMJ) by 2030, with 16,845 units already completed as of the first quarter of this year. 'The state government remains committed to achieving our target of 30,000 units by 2026, and the momentum will continue to reach 100,000 units by the end of this decade,' he told the state assembly here on Monday (May 19). He was replying to questions from Muszaide Makmor (BN-Sedili), Mohd Yusla Ismail (BN-Senggarang) and Ng Kor Sim (PH-Jementah). Jafni added that this commitment includes efforts to expand projects under the Rumah Kasih Johor (RKJ) and Rumah Prihatin Johor (RPJ) programmes, to support low-income groups listed under the e-Kasih system as well as those that are not. He said the RKJ programme provides free housing to hardcore poor families on their own land, with 500 units targeted for completion by next year with an allocation of RM67mil. The RPJ programme, launched this year, is tailored for those in the B40 group who own land but are not registered in the e-Kasih database. 'Each RPJ unit costs at RM86,000, of which RM30,000 is subsidised by the state. "Through RPJ, eligible recipients only need to pay RM56,000 for a 660sq ft home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms,' Jafni said, adding that a pilot project involving 20 units in Kulai and Kluang was underway. Jafni also said some 31 RMMJ projects were offered last year, comprising 2,326 units, while the number of eligible applications received via the e-rumah portal stood at 20,276. He said 14 state constituencies currently have fewer than 20 RMMJ units each and this would be prioritised under plans involving government land and strategic partnerships with district offices and local authorities. Among the new strategies being explored are the construction of affordable apartments on waqaf land, the use of land under the South Johor Development Authority (SSI) and Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), and enhanced policies on bumiputra lot pricing. 'We have also activated a state-level housing task force to identify viable land in all 10 districts for future affordable housing projects,' Jafni said. He added that the state government, under the leadership of Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, remains focused on inclusive development, particularly in ensuring safe shelter for all.
