The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Pasir Gudang: A thriving township
- Pineapple board to set up new production hub to help increase exports
- Water disruption in Muar, Pontian
| Pasir Gudang: A thriving township Posted: 20 Feb 2013 05:09 AM PST PASIR GUDANG: At the very mention of Pasir Gudang, people immediately think of the annual International Kite Festival and the sprawling 323ha industrial estate located here. Pasir Gudang town itself however, has grown at lengths throughout the years and now has a sizeable population. Established in 1918, it acquired its name from the existence of a major sand mine located in Kampung Ulu here. Sand or "pasir" are dug and stored in "gudangs" (storage areas), to be exported to Singapore, hence the name "Pasir Gudang". Residents however, have noticed massive advancements in the area since then and this includes the existence of an educational hub with multiple universities and colleges in Seri Alam, a burst of high end properties including an Australian-based development named Senibong Cove, the existence of shopping complexes and malls, and the building of several private hospitals in the area. The changes and upgrades in facilities and infrastructure have also helped make the area more accessible and this includes the building of a second bridge in Permas Jaya which connects directly to the Eastern Dispersal Link leading to the city centre. Generally, the residents at the Pasir Gudang parliamentary, which is carved out from the two state constituencies namely Permas and Johor Jaya, are contented with the changes that have taken place in the area but some also feel that more can be done. Clerk, Siti Hasmah Masilah, 34, said although facilities were aplenty, the authorities needed to ensure that they were maintained and upgraded from time to time. "I reside in Taman Kota Masai and we have a large concentration of houses there. "I notice that the authorities have provided us with the general facilities such as playgrounds, shops, halls and others but sadly many of them are not properly maintained," she said. She added that despite the setback, she was quite happy living in the area. "I have schools that are nearby for my children and we also get aid from the government to live comfortably," she said adding that if there was one thing that needed to be improved, it has to be the roads in Pasir Gudang itself. Permas Jaya resident Danny Oi, 50, said he was also happy with the changes that have transpired in the area especially in the last couple of years. "We have several new roads that have opened up in Permas Jaya which is very convenient for residents here. "I have also noticed a significant improvement in police patrols and a reduction in the crime rate," he said addiing that he was however still cautious about snatch thefts as he was once a victim himself. He explained that he was happy with his neighbourhood but stressed that roads especially the Pasir Gudang highway needed attention from the authorities. "I remember that the road was supposed to be widened years ago but we are still waiting for that to happen," he said, adding that the authorities should also look into closing up potholes and repairing the other defects along the road. Retiree Rafieh Lomak, 65, said although Pasir Gudang itself is developing at a fast pace, the government should not forget the low income people who are residing in the area. "Living in Kampung Seri Mak-mur, my family is still hoping that the government will grant us the land title for the area which we have been residing in for the past 20 years. "I believe that there are hundreds of families like us that are hoping that the authorities will help us because we have nowhere else to go," she said. She added that on a positive note she was satisfied at how there has a been a massive improvement in public transportation especially bus services in the area. "Although we live along the main road in Plentong, we used to have a problem with irregular bus service. "Now it is much easier with the introduction of additional bus services plying through rural or less freuquented areas here," she said. Marine engineer, B. Pravin Kumar, 27, also said that he was happy with the improvements in Pasir Gudang especially with the developments within Iskandar Malaysia. "The mega development is well planned and residents here are feeling the positive impact including a rise in property prices here. "I am also thankful for the policy introduced by the government which only allows properties priced at above RM500,000 to be purchased by foreigners as we have many Singaporeans who are snapping up properties here," he said. He however, hoped that the government would continue to improve policies especially those related to the intake of foreign labour into the country. "Living very near Seri Alam, we have many foreigners who have been roped in to work in the many factories in Seri Alam, Taman Rinting, Megah Ria and Pasir Gudang. "It sometimes concerns me that there are large numbers of these foreigners walking around as they are often connected to many criminal activities which occur here," he said. He added that the authorities should look into the matter and find long term solutions on how the country can be less dependant of foreign labour. Resident L. K. Santhil, 49, said he was satisfied with the developments especially over the last two years. "Many policies introduced by the government has helped the people and I have noticed that allocations have been provided to create amenities and additional services for the people. "My hopes for the future is for these facilities to be maintained and upgrading works be done for existing roads and improvements to the drainage system," he said. He added that it was worrying that some areas were still getting flooded especially during the rainy season and hopefully these matters can be looked into soon. "Flood waters are always a worry for my family who reside in Plentong because whenever it rains heavily, our home is affected. "Although we are thankful to the welfare officers who quickly come over to help us move furniture or personal belongings, it would be a relief if the authorities can come up with a long term solution to the problem," he said. Pasir Gudang is the state's third largest constituency in the state with 98,798 voters and is expected to be a hot seat this coming general election. |
| Pineapple board to set up new production hub to help increase exports Posted: 20 Feb 2013 04:53 AM PST PONTIAN: The soon-to-be-launched Endau Food Production Hub in the Mersing district will offer good business opportunities for co-operative companies in Johor. Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (MPIB) director-general Sahdan Salim said of the 4,046.85ha area in the hub, 2,023.42ha would be allocated for pineapple cultivation. He said it would propose to the state government to plant the MD2 pineapple as the variety fetched a premium price overseas as proven by the MD2 pineapple exported by the Philippines. "We are hoping that co-operative companies in Johor will take advantage to get involved in the pineapple cultivation in the food hub," Sahdan told Star Metro, recently. He said this at the presentation of RM2.6mil financial assistance as planting incentives to 15 pineapple small holders and co-operative companies nationwide by MPIB chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad. Sahdan said only co-operative companies would be offered to cultivate the MD2 pineapple at the Endau food hub, as this plan was not available to pineapple small holders. "We are focusing on fresh pineapples as demand for the fruits has been growing over the years, especially in the overseas markets," he said. Sahdan said Malaysia's MD2 pineapple fetched good prices in Japan, South Korea and Middle East countries, as pineapple was considered as an exotic fruit in these countries. He said the MD2 was chosen instead of local pineapple varieties as it could withstand long journeys, making the fruit an ideal choice for export. Sahdan said the board was now focusing on producing fresh pineapples for export instead of canned pineapple products as demand for fresh pineapple was on the rise. Before the year 2000, the export ratio was 70% for canned pineapple and 30% for fresh fruits, MPIB wants to reverse this ratio to 20:80. "Presently, pineapple plantations cover about 17,000ha area nationwide with 12,000ha in Johor. We plan to increase the area to 35,000ha by 2020," he said. It was recently reported that the state government had given the go-ahead for an integrated farming project in Endau, with Johor Corp undertaking the project. The project will be the first large-scale contract farming in the country with the integrated agricultural activities involving pineapple and corn cultivation, poultry and cattle breeding. |
| Water disruption in Muar, Pontian Posted: 20 Feb 2013 04:53 AM PST JOHOR BARU: Water supply in certain parts of Muar and Pontian will be disrupted on Feb 26, following the maintenance work at the Air Panchor water treatment plant and the installation of valves at Benut 2 water tank. The disruption in Muar will start from 10am until 11pm while in Pontian from 10am to 8pm. The affected areas in Muar are Muar town centre, Jalan Abd Rahman, Jalan Jonid, Parit Jawa, Jalan Sulaiman, Jalan Muar-Batu Pahat, Pekan Semerah, Parit Bakar, Sri Menanti, Sungai g Balang, Jalan Parit Yusof Darat, Jalan Bukit Mor, Jalan Bakri, Jalan Muar-Yong Peng, Batu 20 Ayer Hitam and Jalan Dato Hj Kosai. Others are Jalan Sri Tanjung, Jalan Sungai Terap, Sungai Abong, Jalan Salleh, Jalan Muar-Pagoh, Kg Paya Limpah, Sungai Raya, Bukit Pasir, Jalan Jorak, Pagoh, Jalan Kangkar Senangar and Panchor. The areas in Pontian are Pekan Benut, Jalan Jaafar, Jalan Utama, Sanglang, Simpang Empat Benut, Sungai Pinggan, Sungai Pinggan Laut, Lorong Hj Omar, Parit Asam Kumbang Laut, Parit Seraya Laut, Parit Marjunit Laut, Parit Tengah Laut, Parit Putri Menangis Laut, Parit Sayang, Parit Sayang housing estate, Parit Lapis Sayang, Parit Baran Sanglang, Parit Sanglang Laut, Kampung Baru Lapis Sayang, Pekang Sanglang, Parit Panggung, Parit Terus, Parit Kassan and Parit Serong. Residents in the affected areas are advised to store enough water throughout the disruption period. For more details, please contact SAJ Info Centre at 1 800 88 7474, SMS 019-772 7474 or email: customer@saj.com.my (E) |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Metro: South & East To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan