Latest news with #MBJB
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
‘JB infrastructure must meet tourist expectations ahead of Visit Johor 2026'
PUBLIC amenities in Johor Baru need to be improved ahead of next year's tourism campaign, says a Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) councillor. You Jeat Xiong (Austin Duta zone) said the city must be ready with practical infrastructure that met tourist expectations for Visit Johor 2026. 'When tourists arrive, the basics like sufficient and clean public toilets must be in place. 'Better rest areas, parking spots and pedestrian facilities along with the presence of tourist information centres and multilingual volunteers or tour guides are some important areas that must not be ignored,' he said during MBJB's full board meeting. You also highlighted the role of in enhancing tourism, saying it reflected Malaysian culture and offered a unique atmosphere to visitors. 'At night markets, tourists can try traditional food and local delicacies, see local crafts and feel the warmth of our community. 'They support small traders, creating a community-driven tourism experience that benefits locals and visitors.' On a separate matter, You raised concerns about the growing number of cyclists, especially in Austin Duta. 'Cycling promotes health and sustainability, but cyclists remain vulnerable to accidents and can disrupt traffic, especially on narrow roads. 'We should build safe bike lanes, run education campaigns for both cyclists and drivers and use data to identify where cycling infrastructure is most needed. 'Ultimately, we want roads to be safe and comfortable for everyone – cyclists, pedestrians and drivers,' he highlighted.
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Animal lover finds new best friend at MBJB event
Paws in need: Haffiz (fifth from left) looking at dogs for adoption during the event in Plentong, Johor Baru; where Chua adopted a new dog. JOHOR BARU: Three years after losing his two beloved dogs Stripe and Lucky, Chua Kah Lun has opened his heart to a new pet. The 36-year-old said the two canines had been with him for over a decade and passed away just months apart, at the age of 13 and 14 respectively. 'Their absence left a void in our lives. Stripe and Lucky were not just my companions, they were a part of my parents' lives too. 'Our house felt unbearably quiet after they passed away. Taking in a new dog would ease our longing,' he said when met at a stray dog adoption programme organised by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) in Plentong on Sunday. 'Strays deserve to be loved too. They need a family to care for them and provide them a safe place to live,' said Chua, who also has two cats and is fostering three others at a rescue shelter. At the event, he met the 20 dogs up for adoption, carefully interacting with each of them. His eyes fell on a calm-looking black dog. 'This cute little fellow will be my new friend. It reminds me of Lucky and Stripe, who were also gentle and affectionate,' he said. Chua Kah Lun Chua said the adoption, which includes vaccination and neutering, is free. The event also featured a Most Beautiful Dog contest, where six canines competed for the title. Housewife Sylvia Kusuma beamed with pride when her eight-year-old English bulldog, named Chocolate, won third place in the contest. Despite its stocky build and serious expression, Chocolate charmed the judges with its laid-back and comical personality. 'I have had Chocolate since he was a puppy. We have been together for eight years. 'He is very lazy and sleeps most of the time. The time he becomes active is during meals,' said the 35-year-old. MBJB mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said stray dog issues remain a major concern among city dwellers. He said as of June, the council had captured 2,034 stray dogs. He revealed that the Housing and Local Government Ministry had allocated RM10,000 for the Stray Animal Management Campaign 2025, which includes public awareness programmes, licensing advocacy and adoption opportunities. Mohd Haffiz said capturing stray dogs and putting them up for adoption could help prevent diseases like rabies, leptospirosis and salmonella from spreading. He said the council had neutered 850 strays in four phases since last year.
The Star
3 days ago
- General
- The Star
Stray dog issues continue to concern Johor Baru residents
JOHOR BARU: Stray dog issues remain a major concern among city residents, with 2,034 strays captured by the end of June this year, according to the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB). Mayor Datuk Mohd Hafiz Ahmad said the council captured a total of 3,014 stray dogs in its jurisdiction last year. "As of June this year, 219 complaints about stray dogs were received, compared to 650 complaints for the whole of last year. "The Housing and Local Government Ministry has allocated RM10,000 for the Stray Animal Management Campaign 2025 to prevent dog-related issues from becoming a public health concern," he said when launching the programme in Plentong on Sunday (July 20). He said this year's campaign, themed 'Anjing Terbela, Komuniti Bahagia', includes awareness programmes for owners and local communities, licensing advocacy, and opportunities for pet adoption. "This approach promotes more sustainable stray dog management without compromising animal welfare, public peace, or community safety. "Campaigns like this are crucial in preventing diseases such as rabies, leptospirosis, salmonella, and others from spreading," he added. Mohd Hafiz said the campaign builds on the city council's large-scale stray dog neutering programme, carried out over four sessions in collaboration with Iskandar Social Hero and Vet Partners Malaysia. He said a total of 850 stray dogs were neutered in four phases, including 200 strays in October last year, followed by 165 in January this year, 264 in April, and 221 dogs on July 8 and 9. He added that the campaign aims to help the public, non-governmental organisations, and stakeholders better understand the importance of sustainable stray dog population control. "This, in turn, will reduce the risk of unwanted incidents resulting from uncontrolled stray populations," he said.
The Star
14-07-2025
- General
- The Star
MBJB leads public complaints pilot project
A Johor Baru City Council worker removing a fallen tree in response to a public complaint. JOHOR Baru City Council (MBJB) has been selected as the first local authority in the state for the MyAduan Johor pilot project, says mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad. He said the system, mooted by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, was being developed to provide a more systematic and accountable approach to managing public complaints. 'A series of meetings and workshops had been held since last December to develop and refine the system. Mohd Haffiz says the new system will provide a more systematic and accountable approach to managing public complaints. 'To support the new system, MBJB has appointed 131 investigating officers and supervisors from our own workforce. 'These officers are responsible for coordinating investigations, ensuring timely follow-ups and updating complaint status in the system,' Mohd Haffiz said during MBJB's monthly full board meeting at Menara MBJB in Johor Baru. He said the system currently focused on five key categories: roads and street furniture (including lights and traffic systems), drainage, trees and landscaping, public cleanliness, and animal disturbances. He added that other complaints would continue to be managed under the existing public complaints management system (Sispaa). 'I hope that with the introduction of the system, the handling of public complaints will be effective and efficient, ultimately strengthening service delivery to the community,' said Mohd Haffiz. He also said that implementation across all local councils in Johor would be carried out in stages. He disclosed that MBJB had received over 10,000 complaints across 29 sub-categories this year. 'The highest number of complaints were related to trees (2,242 cases), followed by road conditions (2,204), lighting issues (1,597), parking (1,278), pests (980) and animal disturbances (941). 'As of June 26, 9,996 complaints have been resolved, with 64.58% of the cases addressed within 15 days,' the mayor said.
The Star
13-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Johor Baru on track to leading smart city status
MBJB is hopeful of obtaining level three status in the Malaysian Smart City Framework. — Filepic Higher ranking under national rating system will strengthen position as urban hub, says mayor Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) may soon be the first local council in Malaysia to achieve a level three status under the national smart city rating system. The rating system is part of the Malaysian Smart City Framework 2019-2025. Johor Baru mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said the council had applied for the recognition based on MS ISO 37122: Indicators for SmartCity Standard. This standard, comprising 85 indicators, was developed by the Housing and Local Government Ministry through PLANMalaysia together with the Standards Department. It is part of an accreditation process to ensure the country achieves the Smart City Agenda. 'We are undergoing two audit sessions as part of the verification and validation process for the national smart city rating. 'The council submitted its application via the National Smart City Platform between April 7 and June 6, with assessment sessions held from June 16 to 20,' he said during the council's monthly full board meeting at Menara MBJB. MBJB had been awarded level two status in 2024. Mohd Haffiz: We are undergoing two audit sessions as part of the verification and validation process. At the time, it had joined Putrajaya Corporation as one of only two local authorities in Malaysia to have reached the second of four levels under the national framework. Mohd Haffiz said MBJB's efforts are in response to a vision that had been outlined by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to position Johor Baru as a future-ready city. 'This rating system will help enhance investor confidence and strengthen Johor Baru's position as a high-potential urban hub,' he added. As of now, no city council in Malaysia has achieved the level three or four mark. A level three accreditation for MBJB would pave the way for Johor Baru to become the first Malaysian city to be recognised as a Leading Smart City under the rating system. This status requires advanced integration of data systems, inter-agency coordination and citizen-centric digital services. Previously, state housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor had said that the Johor government is aiming for all 16 local councils in the state to achieve Smart City status by next year. He had also expressed hope that MBJB would reach level three by the first quarter of 2026.
