JOHOR BARU, Sept 24 — Kluang will become Johor’s logistics hub following the development of several infrastructure projects such as the Gemas-Johor Baru Electrified Double Track project (Gemas-JB EDTP), the PLUS highway expansion and federal road upgrading works which will improve the district’s connectivity.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said this will simultaneously open up business and job opportunities for the community in Kluang and the surrounding areas.

"I am confident that it (the logistics hub) will give a new impetus to Kluang district and other areas in Johor,” he told the media at the Johor Menteri Besar’s official residence, Saujana, here today.

He said a 2.1 km bypass from Taman Muhibah to Layang will be built with a RM60 million allocation to overcome congestion in Kluang, easing traffic flow for 30,000 vehicles daily.

Onn Hafiz said the state government has been applying for allocations to build the bypass over the past two years and it is expected to be approved this year.

"This will be a ‘game changer’ to reduce congestion (in Kluang). Road users will no longer need to enter the city centre with the access of a shortcut,” he said.

At the same event, state public works, transport, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said Kluang received a RM122 million allocation for maintenance works including the Mahkota State Assembly.

He said the allocation comprised state road maintenance works of RM26 million, local authority road maintenance (RM32 million), Federal road maintenance (RM59 million) and traffic and street lights maintenance (RM2 million).

State health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said Kluang has received an allocation of RM305,000 for the health sector so far to help 61 clinic and hospital pantries in addition to three advanced mobile clinic programmes in Johor and a postal medicine scheme involving 1,1171 beneficiaries.

Present at the same event were committee chairmen for state housing and local government Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor; agriculture, agro-based industry and rural development Datuk Zahari Sarip; public works, transport, infrastructure and communications Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh; and unity, heritage and culture Raven Kumar Krishnasamy. — Bernama