In Larkin, land leases and a city’s growing pains shape Johor election contest

JOHOR BAHRU, July 7 — Land lease renewals in Kampung Melayu Majidee and the need to modernise public infrastructure have emerged as the key issues shaping the contest for the Larkin state seat in the 16th Johor state election.

The contest pits incumbent Mohd Hairi Mad Shah of Barisan Nasional (BN) against Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Suhaizan Kaiat, with both candidates offering contrasting approaches to balancing development with the preservation of the long-established community.

Mohd Hairi, who is also State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman, said the state government remained committed to safeguarding Kampung Melayu Majidee through lease renewal offers of between 60 and 99 years, either on an individual or lot basis, as well as a 50 per cent premium discount to ease the financial burden on residents.

“The move clearly demonstrates the state government’s commitment to preserving the village for future generations, ensuring it remains well-managed while sustaining the Malay community’s presence in the heart of the city,” he told Bernama.

The one-term incumbent said the land issue should not be politicised, but instead resolved based on facts.

Suhaizan, who is Pulai MP, however, said the state government’s measures had yet to meet residents’ expectations.

He proposed a ‘dual-track’ approach involving parallel negotiations between the government and the local community to resolve the long-running issue, noting that residents were seeking permanent land ownership instead of lease extensions.

Beyond the land issue, both candidates agreed that ensuring Larkin remained sustainable and relevant as Johor Bahru continued to develop was another key challenge.

Mohd Hairi acknowledged the need to improve public amenities, particularly the shortage of parking spaces, which he said had been worsened by cross-border workers leaving their vehicles near the Larkin Sentral Terminal.

He said he was confident the Johor Public Transport Corporation (PAJ) would implement a comprehensive solution to address the issue if BN was returned to power.

On physical development, Mohd Hairi also highlighted his track record, citing his role in securing two of Johor’s four Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) initiative for Larkin.

“I also succeeded in relocating squatters living along the railway tracks in Larkin, who were frequently affected by floods, to more comfortable flat units,” he said.

Suhaizan, meanwhile, said greater attention should be given to expanding affordable home ownership opportunities for residents of the People’s Housing Project (PPR), particularly to address household overcrowding as well as management and maintenance issues at low-cost housing schemes.

“I am impressed by the approach adopted by the Pasir Gudang City Council, where problematic flats are taken over for maintenance, management corporations (MCs) are trained and assisted with maintenance issues before the properties are handed back once they are back on track,” he said, adding that a similar model could be implemented in Larkin if he was given the mandate.

Also contesting the Larkin seat is Bersama candidate Norsinah Abu.

A total of 172 candidates are contesting 56 state seats in the state election, with more than 2.7 million registered voters set to cast their ballots on July 11.

For the latest updates on the election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor/. — Bernama