The state government will focus on the development of the Johor northern region, which has the potential to be an agro-tourism, farming and stock breeding area and generate jobs for the residents.

Johor Consumerism, Human Resource and State Unity Committee chairperson Dr S Ramakrishnan said this would include training youth to become entrepreneurs so that development efforts could be realised.

“We will train the youth to become entrepreneurs through our (government) land leasing, for example two acres for them to work on rather than training them for work,” he told reporters after opening the Iskandar Malaysia Employment Fair (Imef) at the Persada International Convention centre in Johor Bahru today.

He said the state government would also apply the latest modern technology to attract the interest of more youths to venture into these three fields.

If this approach was not being taken, he said the northern region would continue to lag behind and more youths would migrate to Johor’s east coast and southern region, an unhealthy and unfavourable trend.

“In line with the Pakatan Harapan manifesto, we want the northern region to be developed and become a agricultural, stock breeding and agro-tourism destination,” he said.

He said currently Johor was the second-most preferred area after the Klang Valley for people to seek jobs due to the favourable salary offer.

Meanwhile Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Ismail Ibrahim, who also attended the programme, said more than 5,000 visitors were expected at the event in which 1,000 job offers from 60 employers in various sectors were available.

- Bernama