Johor Regent Calls for Fairer Revenue Distribution, Says State Deserves Greater Federal Return
MUAR: Johor Regent Tunku Mahkota Ismail has called for a fairer distribution of federal revenue to Johor, arguing that the state deserves a larger share of the wealth it generates in order to meet the growing needs of its people and accelerate development projects.
The Regent made the remarks while responding to a recent statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who said Johor is a wealthy state but faces leakages that have hindered comprehensive development.
According to Tunku Mahkota Ismail, the issue should not be viewed solely from the perspective of state administration as the Federal Government also plays a major role in determining how much revenue is returned to Johor.
“My friend, the Prime Minister, recently said that Johor is a rich state but suffers from leakages.
“Yes, there may be leakages, but I believe the Federal Government must also examine how the revenue generated by Johor is channelled back to the state,” he said during a session with members of the public at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre (TMIYC) here today.
The Regent said Johor contributes a substantial amount of revenue to the federal coffers every year, yet the amount returned to the state does not appear proportionate to its contribution.
He argued that this imbalance affects Johor’s ability to speed up development projects and improve public welfare.
“Johor contributes more than RM40 billion annually to the Federal Government.
“However, only around RM2 billion to RM3 billion is returned to meet the needs of nearly five million Johoreans. I believe this arrangement should be reviewed,” he said.
Tunku Mahkota Ismail suggested that at least 25 to 30 per cent of the revenue generated from Johor should be channelled back to the state.
He said a larger allocation would enable the state government to undertake more development projects and address pressing issues affecting the people.
“If more revenue is returned to Johor, we can implement more development projects and improve the welfare of the people.
“In the end, it is the rakyat who benefit, and it is also the rakyat who suffer when projects are delayed,” he said.
The Regent highlighted several issues that he said require urgent attention, including school facilities, road conditions and healthcare infrastructure.
Among the examples cited were roof problems at schools in Segamat, damaged roads in Batu Pahat and delays involving healthcare projects, including facilities at Hospital Pasir Gudang.
He also raised concerns over the shortage of healthcare workers, saying the issue directly affects the quality of services received by the public.
“When projects are delayed or facilities are inadequate, ordinary people are the ones who suffer.
“They are the ones who have to deal with the consequences every single day,” he said.
Despite his criticism of the current revenue distribution mechanism, Tunku Mahkota Ismail stressed that Johor does not intend to create conflict with the Federal Government.
Instead, he expressed hope that relations between Johor and Putrajaya would continue to be based on mutual respect and cooperation.
“We do not want to create hostility or problems for the Federal Government.
“What we want is for Johor to be treated as an important partner and for the welfare of its people to receive the attention it deserves,” he said.
The Regent also urged the Federal Government to place greater emphasis on Johor’s development in the years ahead so that the state can continue to grow and provide better services and opportunities for its people.
According to him, strong cooperation between the state and federal administrations is crucial to ensuring that development plans are implemented effectively and that their benefits are felt by the people in the long term.
