Onn Hafiz: Johor and Singapore see eye to eye on ways to improve connectivity

• As a neighbour to Malaysia, Onn Hafiz said Singapore plays a significant role in Johor's economic development.

SINGAPORE (Feb 13): Johor and Singapore are in agreement on ways that can be explored together in improving connectivity, as nearly 300,000 people use the Johor Causeway every day, said Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Onn Hafiz is currently on a three-day official visit to Singapore, which started on Sunday (Feb 12), which aims to further enhance the good relations between the republic and the state of Johor.

Through a post on his official Facebook page on Monday, the chief minister said he started his second day here by holding a meeting and discussion session with Singapore's Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Dr Maliki Osman, who is also Singapore's second foreign minister.

"Various matters were discussed during the opportunity, especially issues involving bilateral relations between Singapore and Johor," he wrote.

As a neighbour to Malaysia, Onn Hafiz said Singapore plays a significant role in Johor's economic development.

He also said that he was moved to hear the two Singaporean ministers sharing about the intactness of the close relationship between the two countries, even in challenging times such as the Covid-19 epidemic, until the borders of the two countries were fully reopened.

Also present were Johor's Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Lee Ting Han, Johor deputy state secretary (development) Datuk Mohammed Ridha Abd Kadir, and the consul general of Singapore in Johor Bahru, Jeevan Singh.

On Sunday, Onn Hafiz stated that Johor had the potential to receive investments worth between RM10 billion and RM15 billion from several international companies based in Singapore.

He said this following his meeting with representatives of several international companies, including AirTrunk, a large-scale data-centre company that is the largest in Asia-Pacific and Japan, as well as Wilhelmsen, one of the world's leading maritime groups.