Johor polls: BN’s Mahkota candidate pitches ‘work in the city, live in the countryside’ vision

KLUANG, July 2 — A “Work in the City, Live in the Countryside” ecosystem is at the heart of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah’s vision for Mahkota state constituency, aimed at enabling residents to secure better-paying jobs in Johor’s urban and industrial centres while continuing to enjoy a more affordable and sustainable lifestyle.

He said the initiative would allow residents to benefit directly from Johor’s economic expansion through improved public transport connectivity, particularly the Electric Train Service (ETS), making daily commuting between Kluang and major employment hubs more convenient.

“We want Kluang’s young people to have access to quality jobs in industrial areas that offer premium salaries.

“At the same time, they should be able to return home every day and build a sustainable life with their families here,” he told Bernama recently.

Syed Hussien said the vision aligns with the Johor Economic Transformation Plan (JETP), introduced by Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, which seeks to spur balanced economic growth across all 10 districts in the state.

On the campaign trail, Syed Hussien said the BN machinery had reached more than half of the areas within the Mahkota constituency and was on track to complete its outreach across the remaining localities within the next four to five days.

He attributed the positive momentum to the coalition’s consistent grassroots engagement rather than seasonal campaigning, supported by a combination of digital and face-to-face approaches that allow candidates and party workers to maintain close personal contact with voters.

On his ability to converse fluently in Mandarin, Syed Hussien described it as an added advantage in engaging the Chinese community but sincerity, mutual respect and fair treatment of all communities were far more important than language proficiency alone.

Touching on efforts to win over young voters, whom he believes could determine the outcome in Mahkota, Syed Hussien said BN would avoid populist politics and instead focus on fostering political maturity and responsible civic participation.

“We want young people to understand that voting carries a great responsibility. We must cultivate a healthier and more progressive political culture instead of making unrealistic promises that ultimately leave them disappointed,” he said.

The Mahkota state seat will see a three-cornered contest involving Syed Hussien, Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr Ahmad Zuhan Md Zain and Bersama candidate Abd Hamid Ali.

The Johor election has attracted 172 candidates contesting 56 state seats. Polling is scheduled for July 11, while early voting will take place on July 7. — Bernama