ISKANDAR PUTERI, April 30 — The Johor Regent, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, has again reiterated his call for the return of 25 per cent of the state’s income tax revenue.
His Majesty said the return of tax revenue would enable Johor to not be too dependent on the federal government and also ensure the development and welfare of the people.
Tunku Ismail said Johor is one of the main contributors to the country’s revenue, but the revenue does not commensurate with the development and welfare needs of the people.
“Therefore, I would like to urge the federal government that it is time for at least 25 per cent of the tax revenue generated by Johor to be returned to the state.
“This is important so that Johor can manage the needs of the people more efficiently without having to rely entirely on the lengthy approval process,” he said when officiating the Johor state legislative assembly’s new session at the Sultan Ismail Building in Kota Iskandar here today.
Tunku Ismail hopes that Johor can stand independently in line with its role as a major contributor to the country’s economy.
He said Johor has successfully attracted investments totalling RM272 billion, including creating history last year when it recorded RM110 billion in investments, the highest ever achieved by any Malaysian state.
“This achievement has opened up more 80,000 job opportunities for Johoreans and Malaysians.
“I was also informed that Johor’s state revenue will continue to increase to RM2.6 billion. This shows the strength of the state’s economic fundamentals as well as the state government’s efficiency in managing its resources and revenue,” he said.
Last year, Tunku Ismail had raised the same issue when he was reported to have requested the federal government to consider the return of 20 to 30 per cent of the state’s tax revenue.