Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi presenting land titles to Federal Land Development Authority ( Felda )settlers in Kota Tinggi.
IT has been two years since Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi assumed office as the state’s 19th Mentri Besar.
The 45-year-old spoke passionately to NELSON BENJAMIN about an array of issues including his relationship with Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim who has been appointed Johor Regent, his government’s achievements, and his plans for the state.
How is your relationship with the Johor Sultan these days? How often do you meet and are the meetings still on Wednesdays?
I think the relationship has strengthened and matured especially in the past two years. As we all know, becoming the Mentri Besar (in 2022) was not just a shock to the nation, but I was personally shocked and I have to admit that it was a bit challenging at the start because Johor is very special in terms of how the state is being led and administered.
The royal family, namely His Majesty is very hands-on and has a deep interest in what the government does for the state and its Bangsa Johor, the people.
We have the weekly meetings where I meet Tuanku to present (updates) to him and discuss with him the papers that will be brought to the state executive councillors (Exco) meeting.
What I do is nothing new. This is the hallmark of a constitutional monarchy’s right, where the Mentri Besar meets him and as a young Mentri Besar, it is a privilege for me to be able to do so. That is where I learn, understand and also seek advice from His Majesty especially on policies, strategies and action plans that need to be done when it comes to serving the people of Johor.
As a result of those regular meetings, I believe our relationship has matured. I have come to understand Tuanku a lot better now and I feel that His Majesty always puts the priority of Bangsa Johor above anything else, and that’s how I’m also guided in terms of coming up with policies and action plans to serve the people of Johor.
Our meetings are now set every Tuesday instead of Wednesdays as His Majesty felt Wednesday mornings were too rushed as I also have the weekly state Exco meetings thus he decreed that I see him on Tuesdays so that there is ample time to discuss on all matters that are related to the state.
On the meeting itself, Tuanku is a very disciplined and detailed leader. He is also very compassionate and kind at the same time. So, Tuanku has a way of making nervous people like me feel comfortable.
I’m very grateful for his act of kindness every time I have an audience with him. Tuanku is very detailed and will check every single document passed to him and Tuanku is also very careful when it comes to money.
Every time I have an audience with Tuanku, he is very particular about how we spend the people’s taxes. Hence, whenever I meet Tuanku, the level of preparation is quite intense as I want to make sure that I am well versed and well prepared before I brief him on any subject matter.
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi meeting people during a working visit to check on a road upgrading project between Segamat and Ayer Hitam.
Did the Johor Sultan give you any special advice on what he wants for Johoreans before he becomes the Agong? What other advice has Tuanku given to you or the state executive councillors in the last two years? Anything in particular?
Well, Tuanku has very high expectations for Johor. He knows that Johor is destined for greatness and he wants to make that vision a reality. Therefore, focusing on the economy is very important for this administration because only through this focus will there be an impact in terms of improving livelihoods of the people, more job opportunities, better salaries, things that matter to Bangsa Johor.
Tuanku often reminds me that infrastructure projects with big impact on the people need to be resolved as fast as possible. Just like flood mitigation projects, Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2, the widening of the North-South Expressway and Senai Desaru Expressway (SDE), and also, making sure the roads are well maintained.
All these are important things that Tuanku advises me to make sure it’s done properly, and I sense that even if Tuanku ascends as King in KL, it is something that he will continue to focus on for Johor. I am pretty sure he will have a close eye on me and my state excos.
On whether I will seen Tuanku as frequently once he is in Kuala Lumpur, I’m still unsure but even if Tuanku is there, I’m sure he will be looking after Malaysians as a whole. I am sure he will not forget us in Johor. I think that the relationship between the people of Johor and Tuanku as King will not change. There will always be a special bond. I will think that Johor is destined for more projects after this. Malaysians as a whole would be blessed by having Tuanku as their next king. Tuanku always prioritised the people and after this, he will prioritise all Malaysians as King. I believe that is what all Johoreans feel.
When it comes to Tuanku, he always goes down to the ground and during the Covid-19 pandemic, Tuanku and the Johor royal family as a whole, spent about RM180mil in distributing aid over a period of two years. Every time there are floods, his foundations are the first to be on the ground distributing aid to the people of Johor. As a Johorean, I feel blessed that Tuanku is our Sultan and I hope Malaysians will feel the same when Tuanku becomes the Agong.
You have spent quite a considerable amount of time with the Johor Sultan, especially since your exco days and again as the Mentri Besar. Any special moments that you can remember and cherish during your interactions with Tuanku? Any unforgettable memories?
I can name two. One is every time Tuanku goes to the districts, he usually drives his own car and I usually request if I can tag along with Tuanku because I enjoy listening to his advice, stories and knowledge that he has about Johor. Tuanku is a very knowledgeable person. Tuanku’s knowledge of the history of Johor is quite remarkable because of his experience as Sultan and because he was trained by the late Sultan Iskandar.
A lot of historical events are shared during those sessions when I hitch a ride with him. Tuanku is also knowledgeable in security matters. Tuanku had a military stint in the past so his knowledge on security is something I enjoy listening to.
Sultan Ibrahim also knows a lot about boats, planes, cars and trains. Tuanku can pilot all those vehicles including helicopters. So, it is very motivating and inspiring. For me, I take this as a special moment that I get to spend with Tuanku as he is less guarded and speaks his mind.
The other special moment I cherish was when I was conferred a Datukship by Tuanku. I was given that Datukship after nearly two years serving Tuanku. I think that is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life because it is not easy to be awarded such a prestigious award, especially from Johor. I really cherish that experience.
Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi meeting people during a Deepavali event in Johor.
Once the Johor Sultan begins his term as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim (TMJ) will be the Johor Regent. How would you describe your relationship with TMJ? Do you meet TMJ often? What are some of the matters you hope to discuss with him?
I started having an audience with TMJ when I was first appointed a state executive councillor. At that time I regularly met Tuanku due to work as I was the exco in charge of youth, sports and tourism.
Under TMJ’s leadership, we were going through a tough period because of the Covid-19 pandemic and I remember vividly setting up, with his blessings, the Southern Volunteers, where we rallied almost 15,000 to 20,000 youth volunteers across all the districts in Johor to get them to help enlist the public for vaccination.
Before we started that campaign, we had low vaccination rate compared to other states. But with this drive, and with TMJ’s blessings and support, we became No.1 within one month in terms of vaccination rate.
On top of that, these volunteers were working at the Vaccination Centres, helping the people through the vaccination process. Therefore, Southern Volunteers was an avenue for me to get to know TMJ better.
We also launched the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre (TMIYC) with the first centre in Johor Baru and then we branched out to the other districts. The one in Muar should be ready by this year. Simpang Renggam Phase One is also going to be ready. The centre acts as a platform for youth engagement and to have activities that are related to the youth.
I have a good working relationship with TMJ, and I hope to build on that as Tuanku has also always reminded me to get advice and consent from TMJ when it comes to the development of Johor.
I am sure as Regent, I will be meeting him on a regular basis. I see TMJ as a person whose vision is aligned with Tuanku’s when it comes to developing and serving the people of Johor. That makes it very easy for me, as Mentri Besar, to serve, because everybody is aligned when it comes to the vision and objective and goals of wanting to serve the people of Johor.
It has been almost two years since you have been appointed as the Mentri Besar. What are your proud achievements? Any regrets during this time?
Among the notable achievements is that the state’s economy continues to show positive progress. In terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), we hit the highest FDI in 2022 at RM70.6bil.
Last year also showed a positive trend and we are still waiting for the results of 2023 to be announced soon. We are optimistic that the figures will show a positive trend too.
Our unemployment rate remains below 3%. So, economically, we are quite pleased and I believe we will continue to grow over the next few years, especially with the setting up of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Besides that we also have the RTS project set for completion in 2026 and the North-South Highway widening project starting this year. The SDE highway and HSA 2 are also coming soon.
So, Johor’s prospect looks good. I am really happy to say that we got a good base and we have got these infrastructure projects coming in to expand on that base to make sure our state can strive forward and continue to show good prospects.
On hindsight, I would not say I have any regrets but it has been challenging. Johor has a lot of potential and this potential has been said since I was a kid.
So I would like to see this potential – this vision that we have, become a reality in the next few years. It’s good to talk about vision and potential, but we have to take action too. We all have to work as a team to make it a reality and I believe with the Tuanku as King and TMJ as Regent, this vision can be a reality.
Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi with some pupils after presenting school aid to students in Simpang Renggam.
You are known as someone who regularly carries out impromptu spot checks. Have these spot checks been fruitful in improving things on the ground, especially the two checkpoints? What are the main improvements in the state that you are proud of?
With regards to my spot checks, I believe that what is on paper does not necessarily translate to what is actually happening on the ground. That is why as leaders we must always be willing to get our hands dirty and see what is actually happening on the ground.
For the two land checkpoints in Johor Baru and Second Link combined, I have conducted more than 80 visits now and most of the time I am there at 4am or 5am in the morning. I had to go so early in the initial stages as those were the times our people were leaving from Johor and travelling into Singapore.
Previously they used to wait for hours especially between two and three hours just to get to work and during their return. Now I am pleased to report that the waiting hours on average have gone down. So, if they used to wake up at 4am or 5am, now they can go to work at 6am and still reach the workplace before 8am.
So on average we are looking at saving two to three hours a day per person, especially at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs Immigration and Quarantine Complex (BSI).
For me, these two check-points are the pulse of Johor. It is not just about the 300,000 people, but the huge economic benefits. If you make it difficult for people to come, people won’t come. If you make it easy for people to come, they will come.
The reason for the improvements at the checkpoints is because everyone has come on board to help reduce the congestion by making things a bit more efficient, namely by increasing the number of staff. Immigration has added approximately 200 new immigration officers. They have improved the system to clear each passport. I am not saying that the job is done. It is a continuous improvement initiative.
We are going to continue to add more automated M-bike lanes, more clearing lanes so that we can accommodate the increasing number of commuters who continue using our CIQ while waiting for the RTS to be completed by end of 2026. I am happy with what is happening, but at the same time, we are still taking steps and measures to improve on the CIQs. In fact majority of the paperwork at the CIQs have been resolved.
For your information, in a few months time, there will be a new tender for another contractor to fund this facility more efficiently. I think the Home Ministry is tendering so that whoever comes in, whether it is the same person or another, the level of service commitment will be high to accommodate a huge volume of people.
At the same time, there are other things that we are looking at, because we cannot take the approach of saying that this is a Federal issue that needs to be resolved only by Federal agencies. It is not fair because all these facilities that we are using, whether it is the CIQs, the hospitals, the roads and other public assets, even though it is run by the Federal Government, the state will also need to contribute because it is for Johoreans to use.
One improvement is with regards to roads. Previously the roads from Kota Tinggi to Mersing was like a real roller coaster, but I am glad to report to you that at least 80% of the roads have been repaired over the past one year. I am very happy with that progress. Obviously there are other areas that we are looking at for improvement. But for JB, if you look at the city and the roads around the city, you can see major changes including reduction of potholes. But as I said, there is always room for improvement. We are looking at other districts as well to make sure that all Johoreans reap the benefits of a better administration.
Your spot checks have been well received online and social media, especially Tiktok. Are the civil servants taking note and making improvements, or are they just behaving like business as usual?
They are definitely making and taking steps to improve. I work closely with the Home Ministry, its minister, secretary-general, directors-general and the agencies at the state level. They are giving full cooperation to get things done. There are some glitches here and there and that is pretty normal but I think overall I am very happy with how they are responding. I have never had to intervene in any particular case as I have full respect for the chain of command. Whatever complaints I received, whether it’s online or directly given to me,
I will not take any action on my own. Obviously, I will have to go through the respective agencies for them to investigate and for them to take further action if necessary. In fact I get feedback every day. Yeah, I am always tagged on social media. It is never perfect, but the intention is to continuously improve, to get things done and to provide the best facilities for the people of Johor. I also welcome feedback from the public.
What else can be done to improve government machinery and the delivery system? How are you cutting bureaucracy and red tape in Johor to make it more investor-friendly?
With the formation of the special economic zone (SEZ), a lot of things can be resolved more efficiently. Now, why do I say this? Previously at state level, we had the Johor Fast Lane to encourage investors and businesses to thrive in Johor. The state agencies would combine forces to reduce red tape.
Now, with the SEZ there is a possibility, and as announced in the media, that we’re thinking of having a one stop centre where both the Federal agencies and also the state agencies combine forces to manage and facilitate businesses coming in. So, businesses that have interest in Johor do not have to go through the various agencies such as the fire department, local council or land office for approvals. After this we hope to have a collaboration between the state and Federal agencies.
The investors will only need to go to a one-stop centre and we will facilitate the investments through that channel. While it may sound like the role of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda), they do not cover certain incentives or handle all agencies. With this initiative, we will cover everything from Home Ministry, Finance Ministry, Ministry, International Trade and Investment Ministry (Miti) and state agencies. So, we calibrate everything and obviously there are going to be special incentives.
So far since the announcement of the SEZ, the has been a lot of interest and feedback has been remarkable. I think if you noticed, even the property market is getting a lot of traction. But having said that, I think the devil is in the details. That is why this collaboration between state and Federal ministries is very key. This is the first time it’s going to be done properly because it’s no longer just a state agenda. SEZ is a national project.
Johor is expected to benefit from the Special Economic Zone with Singapore, the RTS Link and My Second Home programme. What are your plans and focus to reap the benefits of these developments?
Well, personally I feel that the SEZ will be a catalyst to making Johor a developed state and the decision on type of industry, locations and incentives given, will create a lot of job opportunities. It will certainly create an ecosystem that is friendly to the business community. It will have an impact in terms of Research and Development (R&D) and will also help Johor develop as a financial centre.
So, these are the things that I am looking forward to in terms of reaping the rewards for Johor. But we understand that it will be a win-win situation, not just for Johor, but for the country as a whole and also for Singapore. Because we cannot operate as rivals, we have to act as parties that complement each other and through complementing each other, all the economies involved will gain.
I believe the new requirements for the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) are interesting but with the SEZ, hopefully Johor will have a special tier in this MM2H initiative. Actually we have proposed a few things to the Federal government and I am hoping they will study it and get back to us as soon as possible because as I said, these are all part of the details of SEZ, and the devil is in the details.
In the past you shared your vision for Johor, including the six pillars and the aim to make Johor a developed state by 2030. How are your plans coming along so far? What are the biggest achievements to date and also challenges?
We have the six pillars and I have placed equal importance on all of them. If you look at my budget speech in 2022 and 2023, the initiatives were broken down into the six pillars. In November 2023, I announced 29 strategies and 99 initiatives.
I am especially happy because while we talk about developing the economy, we never forget our duty to help the ones who are in need, the poor and the youth. We are looking at things like housing and building 30,000 affordable houses by the year 2026. I am quite pleased with our outreach programmes where we are doing the Semarak Subuh every Friday mornings.
All the assemblymen are now waking up at 5am to go to the mosque, to meet and greet the people at their own areas. These are good progresses. We are also working hard to eradicate extreme poverty. There are about 2,000 people and now each one of them have a foster family. There is an assemblyman taking care of each family. I myself have met all the eight families in my own area constituency. Our aim is to help them get out from extreme poverty.
We help them by making sure they get enough help from the relevant agencies, whether it’s the welfare department or the religious department or from the state. If they are able physically, we will help them get a job.
