‘Golden window’ for Malaysia
Next five years crucial for country’s economic growth, says Wee
The next five years will be crucial as Malaysia needs to strengthen ties with other countries in order to attract more foreign direct investments, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
Calling it “a golden window”, the MCA president said Malaysia would mark several diplomatic milestones with countries such as China, Singapore and the United States over that period.
“We will enter a new phase as we celebrate our 50th anniversary (of ties) with China in 2024, followed by the 60th anniversary with Singapore in 2025 and the 70th anniversary with the United States in 2027.
“These three countries are Malaysia’s main trading partners and on my part, I plan to attract investors to set up factories in Ayer Hitam. Besides creating opportunities and opening up new sectors for locals, we will also be able to retain our young talent.
“As long as our diplomatic relations remain strong, it will not just benefit the people of Ayer Hitam but all Malaysians,” the incumbent Ayer Hitam MP said when launching his 15th General Election (GE15) manifesto for the parliamentary constituency, themed “Five Promises for the Next Five Years”, here on Saturday night.
The five-point manifesto has a pledge to turn Yong Peng, a state constituency under Ayer Hitam which is famed for agricultural and chicken farming, into a modern farming hub.
Dr Wee said the farms produced fruits, vegetables, chicken and eggs that were supplied nationwide and exported to Singapore.
The Transport Minister also said introducing smart farming technology and training for farmers would increase their yield to cater to rising market demands locally and internationally.
Ayer Hitam’s strategic location in central Johor would also be leveraged, with Dr Wee pledging to turn it into a land transportation hub.
“Malaysia is in talks with Singapore to revive the High-speed Rail project to connect both countries and once it receives the green light, I will fight for one of the stations to be set up in Ayer Hitam to create a stronger public transport network.
“The increased accessibility will help drive local economic growth and boost the tourism sector, which is also part of my pledge to combine Yong Peng with the nearby towns of Paloh (in Kluang) and Bekok (in Segamat) into a golden triangle for eco-tourism activities,” he said.
Dr Wee described Paloh as a quaint town with a rich history “waiting to be discovered”, adding that Bekok had unique natural and scenic attractions to offer.
The Paloh and Bekok state seats were won by MCA’S Lee Ting Han and Tan Chong respectively in the Johor state polls in March.
Highlighting the importance of supporting the younger generation, Dr Wee said his manifesto included offering more scholarships and opportunities for youth to receive higher education whether on a fulltime or part-time basis.
The manifesto also outlined efforts to empower youth by assisting them to build businesses and create new job opportunities across various sectors to make it viable for them to remain in their hometowns and help in development efforts.
“I want to invite the younger generation to join me in the journey to make Ayer Hitam a better place for all,” he declared.
Dr Wee, who first won the Ayer Hitam seat in 2004, also took the opportunity to thank the people for attending his manifesto launch despite the poor weather, and for their support over the past 18 years.
Ayer Hitam has 61,041 voters.