|
With the IDR, the stakes are high as speculation rages over whether Johor's MB Ghani Othman will be moved out of the state By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief, THE STRAITS TIMES
PRIME Minister Abdullah Badawi's visit to Johor Baru last Thursday to meet the Sultan of Johor unleashed a storm of speculation over the fate of Johor Menteri Besar Ghani Othman. Datuk Ghani was on the same flight with the Prime Minister, and their conversation was described by sources as warm. But Datuk Seri Abdullah met the Sultan alone. The call prompted widespread talk that Datuk Ghani may be moved to a federal seat in the March 8 election. This would mean a new Menteri Besar for Johor, and an overhaul in the dynamics of the state. Four names have emerged as potential successors, with Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Khaled Nordin as the front runner. The Sultan, however, has to give his consent if the federal government wants to avoid a constitutional crisis. And the word is that the Sultan wants Datuk Ghani to remain at the helm. But nothing is certain until Feb 24, when candidates' names are placed on the ballot - and even then, last-minute swops have been known to be made. If the episode sounds like a repeat of the 2004 election, it is, except that now the stakes are much higher and the speculation more intense. This time around, there is the Iskandar Development Region (IDR), and the billions in investment it is drawing. Covering an area about three times the size of Singapore, the IDR is a special economic zone which the Malaysian government plans to convert into a metropolis. Launched in November 2006, the IDR has drawn RM14 billion (S$6.1 billion) in investments, according to official figures, mostly from the Middle East and local investors. It aims to draw RM47 billion in investments by 2010. The Johor Menteri Besar is the co-chairman of the government authority overseeing the development. The billion-dollar investments have upped the stakes, and it is widely believed that there are powerful political and economic interests lobbying for a change in the state leadership. Datuk Ghani is known as a politician who will not bow to inappropriate pressure. But his critics also say that he is not dynamic. He was also initially lukewarm about the IDR, a project seen by many Johoreans as creating a Singapore hinterland. The manoeuvrings over his position, and the tussle over the state's riches, are however unlikely to affect the electoral outcome. Johor has always been the ultimate safe state for the Barisan Nasional (BN). The BN holds all the parliamentary and state seats, except for the state seat of Senggerang, which fell to Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) in 2004 after the BN candidate filled the nomination forms wrongly. The state is home to seven ministers - Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein; Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar; Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Khaled Nordin; Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman; Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Muhyiddin Yassin; Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting, and former Health Minister Chua Soi Lek. That's one-fifth of the Cabinet. The IDR was a bone of contention before but by most accounts, the grouses have died down, especially as property prices went up and with the economy faring well. But PAS is still trying to capitalise on this through anti-IDR booklets. Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad, who is tipped to be defending his seat, said PAS will try to stir up unhappiness by talking about Singaporeans buying up land and houses in Johor. 'But this has been a feature of Johor for a long time,' he said. He has been talking to his constituents about the IDR for months, and feels that there is greater acceptance now. Muar MP Razali Ibrahim also thinks the IDR issue will not stir up voters. 'It's not a campaign issue,' he said. Even as Johor is expected to remain solidly with the BN, its leaders are cautiously voicing the hope that it will be a complete sweep this time. But expect the tussling and haggling over the Menteri Besar post to continue in the days ahead. The stakes are high.
 |
