"Robohkan juga Tambak Johor... Datuk nenek aku (beta) dah kena tipu dengan Mat Salleh...
"Tu causeway tu bukakan, baru negeri Johor ini maju..." - Sultan Iskandar
Buat pertama kali aku mendengar sesuatu yang 'ada isi' daripada Sultan Johor ni. Petikan tersebut daripada ucapan Sultan Johor sewaktu pelancaran pembangunan South Johor Economic Region (SJER). Teringin nak dengar apa komen Pak Lah bila mendengarkan titah baginda Sultan macam tu.
Laporan di bawah pula petikan daripada AFP.
Speaking at the launch of ambitious plans to turn Johor into a thriving economic hub, the state's Sultan Iskandar al-Marhum said the 83-year-old causeway to neighbouring Singapore was undermining the state's economy and was a vestige of colonialism.
"The colonialists built it to develop Keppel Harbour in Singapore," Sultan Iskandar, 74, said in remarks broadcast live on television. "Many people think foreigners are great but I think they are dirty," he added.
"If the causeway is removed, then the economy will develop," he told a crowd of some 2,000 onlookers, who cheeered and clapped at his suggestion.
The causeway was completed in 1923 in pre-independence Malaysia and Singapore, then both under British colonial rule. Carrying piped water from Malaysia to Singapore, it also serves as a road, rail and pedestrian link from the state capital Johor Baru to the town of Woodlands in northern Singapore, and sees daily heavy traffic.
The causeway has been at the centre of a bitter dispute between Malaysia and Singapore, with Malaysia calling for its replacement with a new bridge until dropping those plans in April this year.
Malaysians complain the height of the causeway limits shipping traffic to Malaysian ports and argue a new bridge would allow ships easier access.
"Let ships go through," said Sultan Iskandar, who was flanked by
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the launch.
Tengok pula berita daripada Channel News Asia;
Singapore stands to gain from Malaysia's South Johor Economic Region
Singapore's Changi Airport and sea ports will eventually be the major gateways for the movement of goods and passengers from Malaysia's South Johor Economic Region (SJER).
The SJER is a project by Malaysia to turn its southern Johor state into a prosperous metropolis similar to Hong Kong or Shenzhen.
When completed in 2025, the SJER will be 2.5 times the size of Singapore and it is set to become Malaysia's second metropolis after the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia plans to turn the SJER into not just a logistical hub but also a centre for medical, educational as well as financial services.
Singapore stands to gain from this development.
Johor's Economic Planning Unit says Singapore's ports and Changi Airport will be the major outlets for SJER exports.
Singapore also stands to gain in another way.
Under the SJER, two zones in Johor Bahru and the Second Link will be known as Free Access Zones where Singaporeans can enter Malaysia without using their passports or going through the immigration.
This proposal, which is meant to attract tourists and foreign workers to the area, is in its preliminary stages.
And for the economic region to develop and grow, the Sultan of Johor has suggested demolishing the Causeway linking Johor and Singapore.
He said that without the Causeway, the Johor economy would prosper.
Responding to the call to demolish the 82-year-old Causeway, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it found the Sultan's remark curious.
Memang sudah jelas dapat dilihat pengaruh dan campur tangan Singapura dalam pentadbiran dan pembangunan negara. Daripada laporan CNA di atas, belum apa-apa lagi telah diberitakan Singapura telah mendapat keuntungan apabila Lapangan Terbang Changi dan pelabuhan Singapura akan menjadi hub masuk utama kepada pembangunan SJER. Apa ni. Pelik. Kita membangunkan negara tapi jiran sebelah yang mendapat lebih untung?
Mungkin sebab inilah agaknya MAS menghentikan operasi penerbangannya di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Senai, dengan alasan tidak menguntungkan, kononnya. Sebab nak beri laluan kepada Changi?? (!)
Di zaman Dr. Mahathir beliau berjaya membangunkan Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) sehinggakan berjaya memikat syarikat-syarikat gergasi dunia seperti Maersk untung berlabuh di PTP, tetapi di zaman Pak Lah, Airport Senai dah sunyi, apa pula agaknya jadi kepada PTP bila mana awal-awal lagi telah dikhabarkan pelabuhan dan lapangan terbang Singapura yang akan diutamakan.
Kemudian, berita seterusnya daripada Bernama;
Khazanah Tells Johoreans To Be Open Minded When Dealing With Singapore
JOHOR BAHARU, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Khazanah Nasional today called on Johoreans to stop being narrowed minded when dealing with Singapore whose Changi Airport and sea ports will eventually be the major gateways for the movement of goods and passengers from the South Johor Economic Region (SJER).
Khazanah Nasional suruh agar rakyat Johor lebih terbuka dengan Singapura? Atau dengan kata lainnya, supaya kita lebih memberi, bertolak ansur dengan Singapura? Open minded? Jangankan sampai kepala kita dipijaknya pun dikatakan open minded! Soalnya, sejak bila Singapura pernah bertolak ansur dengan kita?
Asyik asyik kita saja yang 'bagi muka' kat depa nih. Asyik asyik kita saja yang bercakap pasal prosper thy neighbour lah, memakmurkan jiranlah kononnya, sikit-sikit terdengar komen daripada pemimpin negara mengatakan, oh, hubungan Malaysia-Singapura sudah bertambah baik, tapi kerajaan Singapura peduli apa pasal kita?! Kita je lebih-lebih. Agaknya kita ni memang suka menyusukan kera di hutan batu seberang tambak tu.
artikel menarik tentang isu SJER ni (BeritaKMU); Johor giving up sovereignity to Singapore?
Sayangnya kita mendapat pemimpin pelapis yang tak memahami, tak dapat membawa visi dan wawasan jauh pemimpin terdahulu. Seperti kata Dr Mahathir dalam interview beliau dengan majalah Time,
"Planning means looking ahead. When I do things, I think very far ahead, not 10 years, 20 years, [but] 100 years ahead."
Aku dah bosan dengan semua ni sebenarnya. Kalau boleh nak tulis pasal benda yang tak pening kepala otak sangat lepas ni.
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