Lim Guan Eng has claimed that Barisan Nasional (BN) should not be given another mandate to govern Johor, arguing that the coalition has failed to deliver balanced development and ensure ordinary people benefit from the state’s economic growth.
Speaking at a campaign event in Taman Bukit Pasir on Thursday in support of Pakatan Harapan (PH) Penggaram candidate Felicia Poh, Lim said voters should look beyond headline investment figures and ask whether economic progress has genuinely improved their daily lives.
“While nobody denies Johor has seen economic growth and development, the real question is whether the people themselves have benefited and whether they are confident of enjoying a better future,” he said.
Lim alleged that many Johoreans, particularly those living outside the southern part of the state, have not shared equally in the benefits of economic expansion. He claimed rising living costs, including higher property rentals and food prices, have made areas such as Tebrau and Johor Bahru increasingly unaffordable for local residents.
According to Lim, Johor is experiencing a “two-tier economy”, where economic gains are not being shared fairly among wage earners and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
He argued that the state’s development problems stem from shortcomings at both the macro and micro levels, claiming that most major investments have been concentrated in southern Johor while other districts continue to lag behind.
“There has been no bold, inclusive and long-term vision for Johor’s development,” he said, adding that economic progress should improve people’s quality of life instead of pricing them out of the communities they call home.
Lim also said genuine development should be measured not only by investment figures or the number of new buildings, but by whether ordinary Malaysians are able to enjoy the benefits of that growth.
He further claimed that the increasing concentration of people in Greater Johor Bahru highlights an imbalance in development, warning that the trend could widen economic disparities while accelerating population ageing in other parts of the state.
Describing the situation as a failure of the BN-led state administration, Lim alleged that the coalition neither recognised nor understood the shortcomings in its economic policies.
He urged Johor voters to support Pakatan Harapan in the state election on 11 July, saying PH candidate Felicia Poh should be given the opportunity to tackle the economic challenges facing the state.
