JOHOR BARU – The Iskandar Malaysia economic growth corridor has made various efforts to outline “bubble travellers”, hard and soft infrastructure, and talent reskilling initiatives as part of its year-long core programmes to assist in economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said these high-impact initiatives will not only support survivability, but also continuously boost the economy.
“The government has implemented many initiatives to address the basic needs of the rakyat and ensure small businesses continue to survive during these difficult times.
“Today, I am pleased to see Iskandar Malaysia making efforts to reinforce its focus on high-impact initiatives that will not only support survivability, but also continuously boost our economy and protect the lives and livelihoods of the rakyat,” Muhyiddin, who is also co-chairman of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda), told an Irda Members of Authority meeting held online yesterday.
Acknowledging the region’s enormous potential, he said it should explore opportunities in modern farming, which will be a key contributor to the national food security agenda.
“With plenty of land area and investors’ interest in the region, as well as a well-coordinated effort with the relevant ministries and agencies, implementing modern farming could turn Johor into the biggest food producer in the country.”
Menteri Besar and Irda co-chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the state government wants to see a quick economic recovery from the pandemic.
“With the initiatives presented by Iskandar Malaysia, we hope the local economy will get the necessary boost from the growth of local talent and businesses.”
Irda chief executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said many of the initiatives that Iskandar Malaysia is concentrating on reflect the aspirations of Budget 2021.
“These initiatives, combined with the region’s existing advantages in terms of location and resources, will further boost the region’s holistic ecosystem, making it a prime location for economic recovery.”
He said the Iskandar Malaysia Talent Innovation programme is designed to facilitate on-the-job training and encourage the deployment of semi-skilled and skilled local talent who have been retrenched, thus reducing dependence on foreign workers.
On the “bubble travellers” initiative, he said Iskandar Malaysia is targeting individuals who can contribute to the local economy.
This talent force could comprise business travellers, international students, and tourists from Covid-19 green-zone countries, he said.
However, they must still adhere to strict guidelines, such as arriving via “bonded transport” and visiting only certain locations.
For the 2020 financial year, Ismail said Iskandar Malaysia is expected to record a cumulative investment of RM24 billion, with 75% deriving from foreign investors.
He added that since 2006, the region’s total cumulative investment stood at RM337.3 billion, with China, Singapore, the United States, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea being the top foreign investors. – Bernama, January 22, 2021
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