City status for Pasir Gudang should enhance developments

Pasir Gudang has been given city-status and it is the third in Johor after Johor Baru and Iskandar Puteri.

Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar proclaimed that Pasir Gudang is a city.

The proclamation document was signed and handed to Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad at a ceremony at Istana Pasir Pelangi here on Sunday.

According to a Bernama report, the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council (MPPG) would henceforth be known as the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG).

Hasni said MBPG is the third local government authority in the state to be upgraded as a city after the Johor Bahru City Council in 1994 and the Iskandar Puteri City Council in 2017.

Pasir Gudang was formerly known as Kampung Pasir Udang.

The name Pasir Gudang came about with the existence of a sand mine at Kampung Ulu. The sand (‘pasir’ in Malay) was dug and stocked in sand pits (‘gudang’ in Malay), and exported to Singapore.

It was declared a municipality on July 1, 2008.

The main industries at Pasir Gudang are transportation and logistics, shipbuilding, petrochemicals, and other heavy industries.

Hasni said Pasir Gudang’s rapid development as an industrial city and port with two international ports operating currently, and the comprehensive infrastructure that prioritises the people’s well-being, meet the requirements of a city-status.

He hoped that the city status would further enhance the development of Pasir Gudang and the surrounding localities through the world-class service delivery system.

MBPG’s jurisdiction covers a total area of 35.96 hectares, comprising Mukim Tiram and Mukim Plentong, with a population of 533,868 people. Malays account for 66 per cent of the total population followed by Chinese and Indians at 11 per cent respectively.

Some of the major higher institutes located at Pasir Gudang are the Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan, Pasir Gudang Community College, Institut Latihan Perindustrian Pasir Gudang and Johor Skills Development Centre.

In addition, the “City of Knowledge” － Bandar Seri Alam houses Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) campus, the Masterskill University College of Health Sciences campus, and other international schools.

Pasir Gudang is also home to one golf course, the Tanjung Puteri Golf Resort, and the 3.86km Johor Racing Circuit.

Hasni said there are 90,758 property holdings in Pasir Gudang with an estimated revenue of RM127.2 million per year.

As of December 31, 2019, he said that MPPG collected RM103.132 million in the current assessment rate, or 85.6 percent, of RM120.46 million.

MPPG also collected RM18.93 million in assessment tax arrears or 61.1 percent of the total arrears of RM30.97 million.

On the total revenue collected during the same period, Hasni said that the amount was RM182.7 million.

Source: NST