ITS MALAYSIA.
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 13- Today, Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, the Menteri Besar of Johor, refuted rumors about a casino opening in Forest City, stating that they were fabricated to disrupt the government’s SFZ plans in the state.
He attributed the unfavorable public opinions to false accusations made by specific individuals regarding the large-scale project in 2018.
“I reiterate that reports about a casino being established in Forest City are completely false.
“These baseless accusations serve no purpose other than to damage Forest City’s reputation,” he stated during the Question Time session at the Johor Legislative Assembly.
Backbencher Liow Cai Tung (DAP-Johor Jaya) raised concerns about the validity of the issue, citing international media reports that claimed the state government had approved the development of a casino in Forest City.
Government power?
The Johor government strongly criticized these reports and emphasized their commitment to opposing the opening of a casino in the state. Onn Hafiz, the Machap assemblyman, urged those responsible for spreading false information to reconsider their actions and instead contribute something beneficial to Johor.
Now is the opportune moment for us to resume the development of Forest City, with the unwavering backing of the federal government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The development of Forest City will bring about both direct and indirect advantages to the people of Johor and Malaysia as a whole.
All parties must rally behind the federal government’s endeavors in fostering the growth of Forest City.
On April 25, Bloomberg, an international news wire, reported that a casino would be opening in Forest City. The report cited unnamed sources claiming that the Malaysian government was in discussions with local tycoons.
However, Anwar, a government official, later refuted the claim and denied that any casino license had been approved for Forest City. In addition, Berjaya Group and Genting Malaysia, two conglomerates authorized to operate gambling businesses in the country, released statements denying any intentions to construct a casino in Forest City.
They also called for action to be taken against the media company responsible for the allegation.