Zahid Backs Proposal to Make Pengerang a Separate District, Supports New Hospital for Residents
KOTA TINGGI, July 2 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has voiced his support for proposals to elevate Pengerang into a separate administrative district and to build a new hospital in the area, saying both initiatives would deliver long-term benefits to local communities.
Speaking at the 2025 Excellent Service Awards and Santuni Kasih KEJORA ceremony in Desaru, Ahmad Zahid said the proposals, previously put forward by Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, deserve serious consideration given the area’s continued development and growing population.
He said creating Pengerang as an independent district would strengthen local administration, while the construction of a hospital would address healthcare needs for residents in the rapidly expanding region.
“The Member of Parliament has requested two things. First, that Pengerang be made a district. Of course I support that. The second is the construction of a hospital, and I support that even more,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid added that strong public backing for both proposals could help accelerate their implementation.
“If support for both proposals continues to grow, God willing, they can be realised sooner,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted the role played by the South East Johor Development Authority (KEJORA) in transforming Pengerang into one of Johor’s major economic centres.
According to him, KEJORA has been instrumental in driving infrastructure development, attracting investment and improving the socioeconomic well-being of communities across the region.
He said Pengerang’s current progress would not have been possible without the agency’s long-standing contribution to regional development.
“Without KEJORA, Pengerang would never have achieved the level of development we see today,” Ahmad Zahid said.
He added that the agency had fundamentally reshaped the area’s economic landscape and improved opportunities for local residents, turning what was once a relatively underdeveloped locality into one of Johor’s key growth corridors.
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