Onn Hafiz Marks Four Years As Johor MB With Record Investments, Revenue Growth

By Hasnah Jusid

JOHOR BAHRU, March 14 (Bernama) -- March 15, 2022, marked a significant milestone for Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi when he was sworn in as the 19th Menteri Besar of Johor to lead the state government administration.

Taking on the responsibility of leading the state at the age of 44 was no easy task, particularly as Johor’s economy and tourism sector were facing major challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the prolonged closure of the border with Singapore.

However, after four years in office, the young leader from a prominent political family has demonstrated his ability to steer the state according to his own approach, guided by the advice and mandate of the Johor Palace.

In a recent interview with Bernama led by Editor-in-Chief Arul Raju Durar Raj, Onn Hafiz said the state government’s performance over the past four years had shown a very positive trajectory, particularly in terms of economic growth and increased state revenue.

He noted that Johor’s state revenue, which was less than RM2 billion when his administration began, rose to about RM2.67 billion last year.

Based on current projections, including gas revenue, the state could potentially record more than RM3 billion, the highest in its history.

Johor also recorded its highest-ever investment figure of RM110 billion last year, which Onn Hafiz described as a fitting achievement ahead of the fourth anniversary of his administration on March 15.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the success of the state government should not be measured solely by investment figures or statistics, but also by feedback from two key stakeholders, namely the Johor Palace and the people.

“That is why we always ensure that state revenue is returned to the people. This has been our practice for the past few years, where every time we receive state revenue, we make sure it benefits the rakyat,” he said, citing initiatives such as Bantuan Kasih Johor.

Onn Hafiz, 47, who holds a Bachelor of Accounting degree from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, said Johor’s stability and consistent government policies have been key factors in attracting foreign investors.

He noted that the current state government enjoys a strong majority and has worked to reduce bureaucracy to facilitate business operations while firmly rejecting corruption.

“The stars have finally aligned for Johor. People have long talked about Johor’s potential, and under this leadership, we want to ensure that potential becomes a reality,” he said.

He attributed this progress to the alignment between the federal leadership and the Johor royal institution, including His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail.

Onn Hafiz also highlighted the strong relations between Johor, Singapore and the Malaysian federal government, describing the current cooperation as unprecedented.

He said Singapore’s strong reputation, particularly in economic management and efficiency, is also being used as a benchmark for Johor in providing the best services for investors.

“The benchmark has been set by Singapore, and we want to follow that benchmark,” said Onn Hafiz, who is also the great-grandson of Onn Jaafar, founder and first president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

He added that global geopolitical developments, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, although unfortunate, present an opportunity for Southeast Asia to position itself as a safe and stable region for investment.

“We hope the conflict in the Middle East will subside, but it is also an opportunity for us to show that this region is safe, particularly through the development of special economic zone ecosystems,” he said.

Reflecting on his leadership style, Onn Hafiz acknowledged that some state executive councillors initially struggled to adapt to his fast-paced and demanding approach, but gradually adjusted over time.

“When we go down to the field, we do not just focus on the project itself, but also examine the surrounding conditions to ensure that the services delivered to the people are not merely ordinary, but extraordinary,” he said.

He emphasised the “3T 1M” formula as the backbone of his administration -- Turun Padang (ground engagement), Teamwork, Te Syie Te Pan (extraordinary results through extraordinary approaches), and Micromanage (detailed management).

Onn Hafiz said the concept of Te Syie Te Pan / 特事特办, which he learned during a working visit to Shenzhen, China, is particularly important because it stresses the need for extraordinary efforts to achieve exceptional outcomes.

He cited Shenzhen’s transformation from a fishing village into a global economic powerhouse whose Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surpassed that of Hong Kong within just four decades.

Looking ahead, Onn Hafiz said his vision remains anchored in the state development blueprint Maju Johor 2030, which aims to transform Johor into a progressive, inclusive and sustainable developed state by 2030.

“We want to provide exceptional services because we believe the people of Johor are exceptional,” he said.

He added that achieving developed-state status is not solely about infrastructure or skyscrapers, but also about transforming the work culture and mindset of the community.

-- BERNAMA