MERSING, Sept 24 (Bernama) – Mersing’s role as a conservation area for natural heritage serves as a counterbalance to the rapid development in several other districts in Johor, thus helping the state attract more international investors.
Johor Sustainability Centre chairman Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad said a balance between economic development and environmental conservation was crucial to strengthening Johor’s position as an investment destination.
He said that while Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri and Kulai were rapidly developing, with projects including data centres and industrial sectors, Mersing and Kota Tinggi played an important role in conservation efforts.
“Johor Bahru is bustling with various developments, while in Mersing and Kota Tinggi, we are carrying out conservation activities.
“So, we have a balance between development and conservation that meets the needs of attracting investors,” he said at the launch of the 2026 Mersing International Conservation Day at the Mersing Harbour Centre here.
Also present were Endau state assembly member Alwiyah Talib and Johor Sustainability Centre chief executive officer Syed Norul Shahril Syed Nasir.
Hasni, who is also Johor Economic and Investment Adviser, said that sustainability had become one of the key consideration for international companies before making investment decisions, including in the data centre sector.
He said data centre operators not only needed to ensure their operations were environmentally friendly, but also had to demonstrate to their customers and investors that they complied with international sustainability standards and requirements.
“Investors seek states of countries that can meet not only their business operational needs, but also international requirements regarding investment and the environment,” he said.
Hasni said Johor’s success in attracting RM110 billion in investments in 2025 demonstrated the importance of the state continuing to meet the demands of international investors, including in terms of sustainability.
As such, he said the spillover benefits from investments in rapidly developing areas such as Johor Bahru should also be enjoyed by the people of Mersing, as the district also played a role in shaping a balanced development ecosystem in Johor.
The 2026 Mersing International Conservation Day is a programme under the Sustainable Travel Mersing Destination Coordination Group’s initiatives, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia, to raise public awareness about the importance of nature conservation and environmental sustainability.
– BERNAMA