Johor expects its economy to grow at 6.6 percent this year compared to 6.3 percent last year.

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April 08, 2008 17:05 PM

JOHOR BAHARU, April 8 (Bernama) -- Johor expects its economy to grow at 6.6 percent this year compared to 6.3 percent last year.Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said this at the state awards conferment ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of Sultan Iskandar at Istana Besar here Tuesday.He also said that last year, the state received RM9.24 billion worth of investments and became the country's biggest foreign investment recipient for the third year in a row.The investments created 188 new industries and 25,000 job opportunities in the state which remained peaceful and calm, he said.Looking ahead, he said, the government would enhance police's strength, was determined to eradicate poverty within two years and would continue to bring development to orang asli communities.Ghani said the state goverment would also continue to enhance the development of public facilities including roads, schools, mosques and clinics and take more steps to control pollution.This year, the government launched RM900 million river rehabilition projects along Sungai Segget, Sungai Skudai and Sungai Tebrau, and would continue to preserve the richness of natural environment including that of beaches, rivers and islands, and retain permanent forest reserves, he said."Unity among the people will also continue to be preserved with the spirit of solidarity being maintained," said Ghani who headed the list of 269 recipients of state awards.He was conferred Pingat Ibrahim Sultan First Class (P.I.S. I) while 25 others received Pingat Kerana Lama dan Baik Dalam Pekerjaan (P.L.P.) who included Johor Tourism Action Council general manager A. Jabar Md Tahir, Muar district officer A. Rahman Jaafar and Batu Pahat district officer Yahya Mohd Salleh.The Sultan also conferred Pingat Kerana Jasa Dan Lama Dalam Pekerjaan (P.J.P.) on five Johor Military Force personnel. They were Lt Jalalludin Hamsan, Sgt Mohd Khair Othman, Cpl Mohamad Sawidi Dempong, Cpl Salleh Sipan and Cpl Zainal Abidin Selamat.A total of 219 people received Pingat Ibrahim Sultan Second Class (P.I.S. II). They included Batu Pahat district land administrator Mohd Rofiki Datuk Shamsuddin, Johor Economic Planning Unit deputy director Mohd Noorazam Datuk Osman and Kluang district land administrator Abdul Rashid Ismail.Another 19 people received Pingat Ibrahim Sultan Third Class (P.I.S. III).Meanwhile, Sultan Iskandar said he was proud for having inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Johor Military Force accompanied by his grandson, Raja Muda Tunku Ismail Ibrahim."Previously, I was accompanied by my son Tunku Mahkota Tunku Ibrahim Ismail only but today, my grandson who has undergone military training in India also accompanied me," he said during the investiture ceremony.