Latest news with #OnnHafizGhazi
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State govt projects RM42.48b revenue for Visit Johor Year 2026
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 21 — The Johor state government is targeting RM42.48 billion in tourism revenue in conjunction with the upcoming Visit Johor Year 2026, said Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi. He said the figure was calculated based on an average per capita tourist expenditure of RM3,500. Onn Hafiz expressed optimism that the target could be achieved if 12 million domestic and international tourists visit the state. 'To make the celebration a success, various tourism upgrade projects have been undertaken, with an allocation of RM116.35 million for this year and last year,' he said during a question-and-answer session at the Johor state legislative assembly in Kota Iskandar today. Onn Hafiz, who is also the Machap assemblyman, was responding to a question from Norlizah Noh (BN-Johor Lama) regarding the state government's preparations for Visit Johor Year 2026. The upgrade projects in Johor include the second phase of Johor Zoo, upgrades to Gunung Ledang, Tanjung Piai National Park, Royal Botanical Gardens, Abu Bakar Royal Museum, Sultan Abu Bakar Heritage Complex, and the Heroes Museum. He said the success of Visit Johor Year 2026 would also bring benefits to Johoreans. 'Although these upgrades are to welcome international tourists, locals will benefit as ticket prices for them are cheaper than those for foreign visitors. 'For example, at Johor Zoo, the ticket price for foreign tourists is RM30, while locals pay RM10. The various upgrades will also boost the downstream economy involving the local community. 'We are also planning to organise several international-class events, including the Johor Bangsa Carnival, International Museum Day, and the Johor Global Symposium. 'Sports-themed events such as the Iron Man programme, the Viper Challenge, triathlon, and Dragon Boat Regatta are also planned. 'The involvement of popular sports icons like Sonny Bill Williams and Datuk Lee Chong Wei will help ensure the success of these programmes,' said Onn Hafiz. The menteri besar also addressed criticism from some quarters claiming there was nothing interesting in Johor. 'In fact, there are many activities here besides shopping malls and food and beverage offerings,' he said, adding that Johor has yet to realise its true potential.
The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Crises call for clear messages
TAPS started going dry for almost 300,000 people soon after a flood knocked out six pumps at a water treatment plant in Kota Tinggi, Johor, on May 20. This affected households and businesses in Johor Baru and Iskandar Puteri, where some endured almost four days without water. The sudden disruption also resulted in countless losses for businesses and factories as major industrial parks were hit too. People also began panic-buying bottled mineral water, fearing a prolonged disruption. My home in Taman Desa Tebrau, Johor Baru, was affected in the early morning of May 21. And like many others caught unaware, I thought it would just be a minor disruption. Subsequently, people in various places reported that they did not have water. There was also a text message circulating about the disruption affecting many places. I only realised the extent of the disruption after I made some calls to water concessionaire Ranhill-SAJ and reported about this in The Star. To be fair, Ranhill-SAJ wrote a short post on their social media platform to alert consumers about the disruption. However, many upset consumers contacted local press offices and took to social media to express frustration over being unable to get through to Ranhill-SAJ's hotline or only receiving inadequate answers from call centre staff, especially regarding when water tankers would arrive in their housing areas and when the water supply would be restored. Realising the severity of the issue, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi spoke about the disruption on May 22 at the ongoing Johor state assembly and announced that a crisis meeting was being held with the water concessionaire. On May 26, Onn Hafiz made a public apology to Johoreans at the assembly sitting and announced that those affected by the water disruption would receive a 15% rebate on their water bills this month. Residents lining up to get water from a tanker near Perling market in Johor Baru during the recent unscheduled disruption. — Filepic Since the crisis meeting, the authorities, especially the water concessionaire, have been providing regular updates about the progress of water treatment plant repairs, tanker schedules and how they are dealing with the crisis. They explained that the disruption was due to a leak in the raw water pipe network at the water treatment plant in Sungai Johor. They also acknowledged the inconvenience faced by consumers due to the disruption and thanked them for their patience and cooperation. The authorities are also carrying out a detailed investigation into its cause and looking at all aspects to avoid a recurrence. This sudden water cut showed everyone the importance of having proper crisis management during a major incident. It is vital to keep consumers informed and to provide timely updates not just via social media, but also through mainstream media organisations, be it newspapers, television or radio, so that these outlets can disseminate information to their audiences. The water concessionaire should also invest in a system for alerts about scheduled water cuts or sudden disruptions to be sent directly to the account holders' mobile phones via SMS, WhatsApp or even email. I am sure Ranhill-SAJ, which has all the data on account holders statewide, will be able to target their messaging to only those in affected areas. They should also consider conducting regular crisis exercises to ensure that everyone, especially those at the call centres, can provide accurate information during an emergency. I have experienced being without water for long periods during the 1991 and 1992 water crisis in Melaka, when the state's Durian Tunggal dam dried up. I remember waking up in the wee hours of the morning to wait for water tankers to arrive, as there were no smartphones or comprehensive messaging services to provide updates on tanker schedules. I also remember helping elderly folk carry pails of water to their units on the fourth floor of their walk-up apartments. It is always important for those in essential services such as water, electricity and telecommunications to update their crisis management manuals regularly to ensure preparedness. These agencies should use technology to disseminate information because during a crisis, fake news or little information will cause frustration, confusion, panic and chaos.
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Projects worth RM10bil in limbo despite green light
Serious business: Onn Hafiz delivering his wrap-up speech during the state assembly sitting at the Sultan Ismail Building. — Bernama JOHOR BARU: Over 200 projects worth a total of RM10.8bil in Johor have not been implemented despite receiving approval under the 11th Malaysia Plan. Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the projects, which were approved in 2016, remain stagnant despite funds having been allocated. 'There are a total of 222 projects that are still in the pre-implementation stage. 'The state government views this as a serious matter as allocations for the projects have been approved, yet work has not been carried out. 'Imagine the number of development and upgrading projects, including those involving hospitals, schools and roads, that have not reached the people,' he said in his speech during the state assembly sitting yesterday. Onn Hafiz said he brought the matter to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Johor Special Development meeting on Friday, which was chaired by the Prime Minister. 'Every time we have our state action council meeting, I raise this issue and have the Implementation Coordination Unit follow up with the ministries involved. 'With the Prime Minister's approval, we have decided that all state executive councillors will meet with the ministries involved in the projects. 'This is to ensure that they are carried out as soon as possible for the benefit of the people.' Onn Hafiz also thanked Anwar for approving nine major projects that would greatly benefit the people in the state. 'Out of the 10 projects we requested, nine have been approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan. 'This includes the Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2 project and several highways,' he said. On a separate matter, Onn Hafiz said the state assembly has two more years left before the end of its term. 'As the Johor Regent has reminded us, this is not election season. Our term ends in 2027, which is still two years away. 'Let us find common ground to foster unity, not division, which will only harm the state we all love,' he said. During the opening of the state assembly on Friday, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim reminded assemblymen to focus on serving the people. 'You have all been elected to serve the people. So, focus on that responsibility. 'The people of Johor need assemblymen who are accountable and effective in serving them. 'They want representatives who can help drive the state's development and improve their standard of living,' Tunku Ismail added.
Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Over 155,000 Johor account holders to get 15% water bill rebate after 4-day water supply disruption
Freepik/wirestock JOHOR BAHRU: Over 155,000 account holders in Johor will receive a 15% rebate on their water bills this month following a four-day water supply disruption, said Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi after discussions with water operator Ranhill SAJ. According to The Star, Mr Ghazi said Ranhill SAJ had agreed to give a 15% rebate on the water bills of all 155,074 domestic and non-domestic accounts affected, such as houses of worship, charitable institutions, businesses, and industries. The water disruption affected those in Iskandar Puteri and Johor Bahru last Wednesday and lasted until Saturday. At the state assembly meeting on Monday (May 26), Mr Ghazi said that while the rebate may not make up for the hardship experienced by those affected, he hopes it will, in some way, 'help ease their burden.' He also apologised, on behalf of the state government, to all Johoreans affected by the water supply interruption, saying he understood it was not a small issue as it disrupted families' daily lives and affected the operations of schools, hospitals, and businesses. Mr Ghazi said 42 water tankers, 51 static water tanks, and 13,000 cartons of bottled water were sent to households during the disruption. A task force has also been set up to prevent similar incidents from happening again. In March, the Johor state government allocated over RM5 billion (S$1.52 billion) to build three reservoirs and three water treatment plants, as it aims to stop relying on Singapore's treated water by 2030. However, analysts said the timeline for Johor's planned water treatment plants could be too 'ambitious' given the scale of construction involved. /TISG Read also: 'You have my word' — Johor Chief Minister says he will 'personally address' Singaporeans' 'painful' Vehicle Entry Permit concerns
Barnama
5 days ago
- Politics
- Barnama
Sterner Action To Be Taken Against Illegal Waste Dumpers
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 26 (Bernama) -- Johor will implement stricter measures to tackle the growing problem of illegal waste dumping. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi stressed the need for more radical and comprehensive measures to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the state's environment. He said the recent decree by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, highlighting concerns about pollution in rivers and roads caused by irresponsible individuals, signals that it is time for more decisive action. "Among the steps include raising the minimum compound rate as a clear signal to all parties, in addition to amending or introducing new, more relevant and stringent laws," he said during the winding-up session of the Johor State Legislative Assembly sitting at Kota Iskandar here today. He added that the state government has also formed a Special Committee to Tackle Illegal Waste Dumping, which has three main focuses: strengthening enforcement and reviewing outdated by-laws; expanding civic education and public awareness campaigns more aggressively; and introducing a smart monitoring system based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) at hotspot areas to speed up the detection and prosecution of offenders. Onn Hafiz said that although Section 69 of the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171) empowers local authorities to impose fines of up to RM2,000 or one-year imprisonment and an additional fine of RM500 per day for repeat offences, as well as the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) which allows for penalties of up to RM100,000 for water pollution offences, these laws need to be further scrutinised. "Other countries are far stricter and more aggressive than us currently. For example, Singapore imposes fines ranging from 2,000 Singapore dollars (RM6,600) to 50,000 Singapore dollars (RM165,000), Corrective Work Orders (public cleaning work), and 'Name & Shame'. "In South Korea, the penalty goes up to 100 million won (RM350,000) and imprisonment of up to seven years, utilising technologies such as IoT sensors and CCTV. "In Japan, laws like the 'Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law' and the 'Water Pollution Control Law' empower authorities with significant authority. Fines can reach up to 10 million yen (over RM300,000), and violations may result in imprisonment for up to five years," he said.
