KUALA LUMPUR: Johor must turn its strong economic growth and investment inflows into high-paying jobs for locals and greater opportunities for small businesses, said Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He said the state's economy grew by eight per cent last year, the highest in the country, but the achievement should not breed complacency.
"If we want extraordinary results, our thinking and the way we work must also be extraordinary," he said in his speech at the "Towards a Futuristic Nation: Leadership, Innovation and Transformation" forum.
It was held in conjunction with the International Young Future Leaders Summit (iFUTURE) 2026, held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.
The forum also featured Umno leader Khairy Jamaluddin and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, with more than 1,200 student leaders from Malaysia and 53 other countries attending the summit.
Onn Hafiz said investments, particularly through the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), must create more high-income employment for locals, help small and medium enterprises expand and ensure balanced and sustainable development.
He said that leadership required integrity, fairness and sincerity, adding that leaders must lead by example and ensure policies deliver tangible benefits to the people.
"Young people must not merely be spectators to change, but seize the opportunities created by the state's rapid development," he said, encouraging them to equip themselves with knowledge and skills and prepare to lead in the future.
He said developing Johor's youth remained a key priority under the Maju Johor 2030 agenda.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd