Some candid comments from a British who worked in JB.
Abdul GXXXX is such a failure, why is he still at the helm?
Soul searching needed for Johoreans who really love their hometown, I will do my part this coming election just like what I did in last election.
Wednesday March 21, 2012
Englishman’s love for Johor
Story and Photo By ZAZALI MUSA
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TODAY is Philip Skitch’s last day at Thistle Hotel Johor Baru after helming a position as the general manager at the five-star establishment since November 2008.
As he bids farewell to his employees, business associates and colleagues before heading home to England, Skitch shares with ZAZALI MUSA and on issues related to Johor Baru city and Iskandar Malaysia.
While praising Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) for doing a good job in attracting investments in the last few years to Iskandar Malaysia, he said much has not been done to improve the city’s image.
Showing his love: Philip holding the logo of “I Love JB” campaign and community.
The straight forward talking Englishman says Johoreans should be proud of their city’s rich history and culture and with that he has mooted the “I Love JB” campaign.
Q: What makes you come out with the idea of “I Love JB” campaign and community?
A: I want to do something of my own way as the GM of an international hotel and to wake up people in the high places on what is going on in the city.
They have to see the reality happening on the ground and what can we do to put the city in order and better promote it to the world.
Too much focus is given on big time investors, its all about mega investments – shopping, medical, oil and gas, education and buying super million ringgit properties.
But nothing about the people - we need them to be with us as they will be working with us and around us, they will ensure whether the city transformation project will be successful or not.
I’m really concern that there is going to be a wide gap between all the happenings in Nusajaya with all the marketing for the super rich, the big corporations and the international tourists.
Huge potential: A picture of the skyline of Johor Baru City which Philip believes can attract more tourists .
And yet, Johor Baru city in my view is still way behind where it needs to be in order to service these people coming to Iskandar.
We have to get the people’s hearts and minds behind the campaign and JB denisens must be proud of their city – but this is not happening now and it worries me.
Q: What is wrong with Johor Baru and Iskandar Malaysia?
A: There is a tremendous effort put in by all stakeholders in attracting investments but very little effort in promoting and marketing.
I was in Singapore at cocktail parties with top travel agents and they did not now what is happening in Iskandar.
For instance, Legoland Theme Park will open just few months away but there is not single banner promoting the theme park in the city centre, along the Causeway and the Second Link, what you see are only rusty railings at the crossings.
If we don’t do something now, how are we going to attract one million visitors to the theme park and how are we going to bring them there as the transportation system is not in place yet?
We should like from Olympics – the future hosting cities of the Games will start marketing the event five to six years before the date.
China spent years teaching people there to be polite for the 2008 Olympics – we have to that with our taxi drivers, shopkeeper, and front liners.
We have to teach them that being hospitable is not bad and socially acceptable – stop being insecure and reserve and Malaysians should be more open minded in accepting international tourists.
When investors and tourists came, they want to see a clean town and a safe town that is clearly in control of its infrastructures like Singapore and locals who are hospitable and less suspicious of foreigners.
JB now is like Singapore 20 or 30 years ago but it should not be like Singapore 20 years down the road although it is going to progress and develop.
JB should maintain its family and religious value and at the same time be a heart of commerce in the southern region – and not cold or sterile like Singapore – Iskandar has to be different than Singapore.
Q: How can we ensure the “I Love JB” campaign and community a success?
A: We have to have enough love and pride to make the campaign successful and we have to start installing that now – it is better late than never.
Look at Indonesians and Singaporeans – they are proud of their countries, history and cultures but the same cannot be said for Malaysians.
To them JB is a dirty city, crime infested place and they don’t have faith in their own city.
Instead of promoting each other, we are slacking each other — this is your own country but you are sending a wrong signal to the whole world.
But, the campaign has to take on. It needs a champion. Not only champion in Irda but a bigger champion. I think it needs TMJ (Tunku Mahkota Johor).
Tunku Ismail will be the perfect champion for the campaign and the community. He is young and good looking, a sportsman and popular with youngsters.
It will be good if we can get His Highness — we can run a similar body like Princess Trust in Britain — which appeal to the young people, school children and university students.
I find it damn funny and entertaining
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