Expedite the declaration of Segamat as ECER's new economic growth area - Hasni

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Dec 6 -- The Johor government hopes the process of declaring Segamat as a new economic growth area under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) can be expedited.

Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said this is necessary to help the state government to drive the district’s economic development.

He said the plan to include Segamat as part of the ECER was announced by the Federal Government previously following the success in attracting RM1.61 billion investments to Mersing, which is part of the corridor.

“Following that achievement, the ECER is planning to widen the area through the implementation of the ECER Master Plan 2.0 (EMP 2.0) involving the Segamat district.

“The Johor state government is planning for the area to focus on the agriculture sector to ensure the success of the food security agenda initiative. Therefore, the state government is making a plea for the declaration process to be expedited at the federal level,” he said during his winding-up speech on Johor Budget 2021 at the State Assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar here today.

According to EMP 2.0, Segamat is envisioned to become a “Bio-Agro Valley”, capitalising on its biotechnology and agribusiness sectors to boost economic activities while attracting tourists through the district’s tourism sector driven by agrotourism and its integrated ecotourism.

Hasni said the state government always welcomes and supports economic corridor development projects such as Iskandar Malaysia and ECER to stimulate economic growth in a particular area.

However, he said, the projects and programmes in Iskandar Malaysia are more focused on three districts -- Johor Bahru, Kulai and Pontian -- while the ECER area only covers the Johor east coast, namely Mersing.

Segamat’s declaration as a new development area under the ECER was announced by then-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electric Double Tracking rail project in Segamat on April 3, 2018 -- about a month before the 14th general election.

Launched in 2007, the ECER currently covers Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing in Johor. 

-- BERNAMA