Johor’s Strong GDP Growth Welcomed, but Overall Economic Size Still Trails Selangor, Says Amirudin
JOHOR BAHRU, July 4 — Johor’s strong economic growth should be assessed alongside the overall size of its economy rather than annual growth rates alone, according to PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who said the state still lags behind Selangor in terms of total economic output.
Speaking at the launch of Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto for the Johor state election, Amirudin argued that while Johor recorded the country’s highest gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of eight per cent, the figure should be viewed within the broader context of economic value created.
He said discussions surrounding GDP performance should not focus solely on percentage growth, as the actual increase in economic output provides a more comprehensive picture of a state’s economic strength.
Referring to the latest figures released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Amirudin said Johor’s economy expanded by approximately RM18 billion to RM19 billion over the latest reporting period.
In comparison, Selangor’s economy grew from around RM432 billion to RM460 billion, representing an increase of approximately RM28 billion.
According to Amirudin, this means Selangor generated a substantially larger increase in economic value despite Johor recording a faster percentage growth rate.
He said comparisons based only on annual growth percentages risk creating an incomplete understanding of the relative performance of state economies.
Amirudin, who is also a member of the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council, added that Selangor and Penang—both administered by Pakatan Harapan—collectively contribute close to 40 per cent of Malaysia’s economy, demonstrating the coalition’s experience in supporting economic expansion.
He said Johor possesses considerable economic potential but requires a more comprehensive long-term development strategy to ensure growth is distributed more evenly across the state.
Rather than concentrating development in selected urban centres, Amirudin said future planning should encompass northern, southern, eastern and central Johor so that economic opportunities are shared more broadly among residents.
He also highlighted several major infrastructure and investment initiatives that are expected to strengthen Johor’s long-term economic prospects.
Among them are the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link connecting Johor Bahru and Singapore, and ongoing efforts to revitalise Forest City.
According to Amirudin, these strategic projects have been made possible through cooperation between the Johor state administration and the Federal Government.
He said stronger alignment between both levels of government could accelerate investment, improve infrastructure development and generate more employment opportunities for local residents.
Amirudin added that Johor has the potential to become a state capable of offering a larger number of high-income jobs, reducing reliance on employment opportunities across the border in Singapore.
He said sustained investment in strategic industries, infrastructure and regional development would be essential in ensuring that future economic growth translates into broader benefits for Johoreans throughout the state.
The remarks were delivered as political parties continue presenting their economic agendas ahead of the Johor state election, with economic development, investment attraction and job creation emerging as key themes throughout the campaign.
