04/07/2026 06:19 PM

Johor Polls: PH Candidate Seeks To Reposition Yong Peng Beyond A Highway Stopover

BATU PAHAT, July 4 (Bernama) -- Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Yong Peng state seat in the 16th Johor state election, Yong Hui Yi, hopes to rebrand the town from a stopover along the North-South Expressway into a vibrant economic hub with greater job and business opportunities for the local community.

Yong, 31, said Yong Peng’s strategic position in central Johor remains an underutilised asset, despite the thousands of vehicles passing through the area every day.

She said traffic should be harnessed to drive economic growth that benefits small traders, local entrepreneurs, and young people, rather than serving solely as a transit route for highway users.

"If Yong Peng is developed as a transport and logistics hub, a supporting ecosystem would need to be established, including food stalls, workshops, retail shops, vehicle services, homestays and opportunities for small businesses in the surrounding area," she told Bernama.

The Johor DAP publicity assistant secretary said among the proposals is the “driver’s house” concept, a more structured rest area for lorry and long-distance drivers, which would provide facilities for highway users while also helping to stimulate the local economy.

Yong said Yong Peng’s potential extends beyond logistics, encompassing modern agriculture, small and medium enterprises, and supply chains that can support the state’s economic growth.

She said economic development must also be supported by expanded skills training, cooperation with government agencies and coordination with suitable companies and investors, to ensure better employment opportunities for local youths.

"We cannot prevent young people from seeking opportunities elsewhere, but we must work to ensure that Yong Peng is also a place that offers them a future," she said.

Yong said large-scale projects such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) should be leveraged to ensure semi-urban areas like Yong Peng are not left behind in reaping the benefits of development spillovers.

"As the JS-SEZ develops, demand for logistics, food supply, modern agriculture, support services and small and medium industries will rise,” she said, adding that Yong Peng has the potential to become a support hub for the state’s economic development.

She said that during the campaign period, residents frequently raised concerns over job opportunities for young people, the cost of living, public amenities and cleanliness issues, including problems involving flies and foul odours.

Yong said that if given a mandate, her three priorities would be to strengthen public service delivery, map residents' needs, and advance economic development to ensure Yong Peng is included in planning for logistics, modern agriculture, and supply chains.

She said that although she is aware of the challenges facing a young candidate, her experience working alongside Kulai MP and Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, and Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi, has exposed her to how public issues are managed and escalated to the relevant agencies.

Yong is contesting the Yong Peng seat in a straight fight with incumbent Ling Tian Soon of Barisan Nasional (BN).

The Johor state election is scheduled for July 11, with early voting on July 7.

For the latest updates on the 16th Johor state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor.

-- BERNAMA

 

N19: YONG PENG - 34,023 voters

1. Ling Tian Soon (BN-MCA)

2. Yong Hui Yi (PH-DAP)

(2022: Ling Tian Soon : BN-MCA: Maj: 2,741)

 

 

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