JOHOR BARU, May 11 — With the ongoing development in the city centre here, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said Johor Baru has good potential to develop into an international metropolis.

"Improving infrastructure, strengthening security aspects and ensuring cleanliness is an important agenda that will be given focus by this government in the short, medium as well as long term,” he said in a brief post on his personal Facebook page tonight after he took a personal drive in the city centre here after work hours.

Onn Hafiz said the drive, with Johor Baru Mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman, gave him the opportunity to see for himself the development taking place in the urban areas of the state capital during peak hours.

Johor Baru, with a population of about 700,000 residents, is considered one of the fastest-growing cities in Malaysia after the federal capital Kuala Lumpur.

The city, popularly known by its initials as "JB”, also has one of the world’s busiest land crossings, where the Johor Causeway connects Johor Baru with Woodlands in Singapore.