ISKANDAR PUTERI, Nov 22 — The Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has consented to the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council (MPPG) being given a city-status and declared Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG), effective today.

Mentri Besar Datuk Ir Hasni Mohammad told this to reporters after a meeting with the MBPG staff at Kota Iskandar here today, during which he also handed over the instrument on the proclamation of MBPG to its mayor, Asman Shah Abdul Rahman.

Also present were Johor State Secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani and the State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Ayub Jamil.

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’s rapid development as an industrial city and port by having two international ports and the comprehensive infrastructure that prioritises the people’s well-being, meet the requirements , and therefore, it is appropriate for Pasir Gudang to be accorded a city status,” he said.

According to Hasni, MBPG’s jurisdiction covers an area of 35.956 hectares, encompassing Mukim Tiram and Mukim  Plentong, with a population of 533,868 people, involving Malay (66 per cent), Chinese and Indian (11 per cent each), with the other two per cent comprise others.

There are 90,758 property holdings with an estimated revenue of RM127.2 million per year, he said, adding that as of Dec 31 last year, MPPG collected  RM103,132,089 in current assessment rate, or 85.6 per cent, of RM120,458,033. It also collected RM18,925,282 in assessment tax arrears, or 61.1 per cent of the total arrears of RM30,967,097.

On the total revenue collected during the same period, he said, it amounted to RM182.7 million.

He said the state government thanked the Johor Sultan for His Majesty’s consent in the proclamation of MBPG and hoped the city status would further enhance development of Pasir Gudang and the surrounding localities through the world-class service delivery system.

Meanwhile, Asman Shah, who is former Mersing District Officer, said he would focus on security issues and the well-being of the people in MBPG.

“My focus is on making Pasir Gudang a safe and sustainable industrial city for its residents to live in. “Besides that, I will also focus on the social aspects, including ensuring the continuity of the 16 traditional villages in the city area,” he added. — Bernama