Latest news with #JohorBahruCityCouncil
The Sun
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
School holidays bring opportunities to local economy in Johor
JOHOR BAHRU: The school holidays since May 29, which brought joy to students and families, are a boon for hawkers, homestay operators and local communities around tourist hotspots in the state. A Bernama survey of several popular locations including the Johor Bahru City Square, Johor Zoo and the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) City Forest found that the presence of domestic tourists has increased sharply since the start of the holidays, thus providing a surge in income for street food vendors, souvenir vendors and homestay operators. Food vendor Halimah Abu Bakar, 48, said her sales during the school holiday season increased by 50 per cent following the increase in the number of customers at her stall. 'On weekdays, we receive around 100 customers, but during the holiday season, the number increases to 150 a day. Most of the customers are from other states and Singapore. 'Although we have to open our stall early and return late at night, the effort is worth it because the daily income increased almost three times compared to normal days,' she said when met by Bernama at her stall located around Hutan Bandar MBJB here today. Meanwhile, ice cream vendor Hasimi Md Isa, 41, said the school holiday season is like the 'harvest season' that he has been waiting for. 'During this school holiday, my ice cream sales can reach more than RM50 a day compared to RM30 a day. This school holiday is indeed a much-anticipated moment for local hawkers following the increase in the number of tourists coming to the state,' he said. The presence of tourists from outside Johor, such as Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Pahang, also contributes to the increase in local economic activities, especially homestay operators around the hotspots. Homestay operator Suraya Abd Majid, 38, said all units advertised on digital platforms had been booked a week before the holiday began, showing high demand for affordable accommodation outside the countryside. 'Many families also choose to stay in homestays because they can cook and save money. Homestays are also a choice because their facilities are more family-friendly. 'For this school holiday season alone, my homestay in Kempas has been fully booked until June 7. In fact, I have often received calls from people wanting to book a homestay within two to three days recently,' she said when contacted by Bernama. On May 29, the media reported that Johor Unity, Heritage and Culture Exco, K. Raven Kumar, announced that 80 per cent of hotel room reservations in tourist hotspots in Johor had been filled in conjunction with the first term school holidays. The school holidays are expected to end on June 10, and local traders, hawkers and homestay operators hope that this momentum can continue ahead of Visit Johor Year 2026.
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 Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Johor allocates RM213 million for 353 flood management projects in 16 PBT
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 a press conference here today. Mohd 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 Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Johor allocates RM213m for 353 flood management projects in 16 PBT
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 a press conference here today. Mohd 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 Sun
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Three Johor Bharu areas pioneer empowerment of community integrity development
JOHOR BAHRU: Three areas in Johor Bahru have been selected as pilot models to enhance community awareness of integrity through the Community Integrity Building (CIB) programme. Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) Mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said the programme, in collaboration with the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM), will involve the communities in Bandar Baru Uda, Bandar Dato Onn and Desa Cemerlang. He said the programme, among other things, aims to encourage collaboration between local authorities (PBT) and the community in forming an ethical and resilient community against corruption and abuse of power. 'Among the programme's goals and objectives is to increase public awareness and sensitivity to integrity issues occurring in their environment. 'With close cooperation with these communities, it is hoped that it will also improve the quality of services at MBJB itself,' he said at a press conference here today. He said the community can channel complaints, including through the MBJB Public Complaints Management System (SISPAA) which is an online medium for managing complaints, inquiries, and suggestions from the public regarding the delivery system and services of MBJB. Mohd Haffiz also said MBJB is always committed to improving governance and transparency in service delivery. 'However, we realise that this responsibility cannot be shouldered alone. It requires collaboration, not only among government officials but also with the local community. 'Through this CIB, a platform for dialogue between communities can be established, in addition to identifying the real challenges at the grassroots level related to integrity and building solutions together based on integrity and shared ownership,' he added.
