JOHOR BAHRU: When Onn Hafiz Ghazi first took office as Johor’s chief minister in 2022, he felt that the southern state had yet to live up to its full potential in development and economic growth. More than four years later, as he stands ready to lead his political coalition’s campaign in the upcoming Johor state polls, he tells CNA in an interview that he is happy to see “positive change” and score “small wins” in the state’s growth. “When I first took office, my belief was we wanted to move from good to great. That was the vision and with god's grace … I think we're starting to see the results,” said the 47-year-old on Monday (Jun 22), adding that there is still much work to be done. Under Onn Hafiz’s leadership, Johor recorded the highest gross domestic product (GDP) growth among all Malaysian states in 2024 - at 6.4 per cent, which was higher than the national average of 5.1 per cent. In 2025, it attracted a record RM110 billion (US$26.6 billion) in approved investments, surpassing even Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Johor Barisan Nasional chairman Onn Hafiz Ghazi attends the launch of the Johor Barisan Nasional election machinery in Iskandar Puteri on Jun 7, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
