LETTER | Earlier this week, the Sarawak government announced that it would not impose employment bonds for those who graduate from its state-owned universities.

This shows the state government’s commitment to education opportunities.

Although Sarawak is not one of Malaysia’s top gross domestic product (GDP) contributors, the state is serious about investing in its people. It knows that education is key to progress.

Now, let’s look at Johor, where I am from. Our economy is strong. Johor contributes 9.5 percent to Malaysia’s GDP, making it the third-largest contributor after Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Last year, our menteri besar even visited Guangzhou and said he was confident Johor would become “Guangzhou No 2.” But here’s the question - can we really become like Guangzhou without investing more in education?

Guangzhou didn’t succeed just because of government policies. China poured massive resources into education. They built top universities, funded research, and ensured the best students had access to quality education.

This created a highly skilled workforce, which in turn, attracted top companies.

In Johor, we still hear about straight-A students struggling to enter local universities. At the same time, our higher education institutions face underfunding, limiting the quality of education and research opportunities.

As an assemblyperson, I engage with the grassroots quite extensively in my constituency and beyond.

Many students, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, still face financial difficulties - some can’t afford tuition fees, others take on part-time jobs that affect their studies, and many struggle with basic expenses like transportation and accommodation.

Without adequate support, some are forced to put their education on hold or give up entirely. Others look for better opportunities abroad. Many Johoreans end up in Singapore.

And this cuts across all races. In my constituency, there is a UiTM campus. I sometimes hear stories of students there facing financial difficulties to the point that it would affect their studies.

This shouldn’t happen in a state as wealthy as Johor. We need more targeted scholarships and financial assistance.

Producing, retaining talent

In my constituency in Jementah, I have personally sponsored over 60 laptops to needy students over the past three years and sponsored more than 20 students to learn coding since 2023, ensuring they have the tools and skills needed to compete in the digital economy.

We do not want Johor to lose out. The state is developing fast, especially with a rapidly growing data centres industry. But if we don’t produce and retain enough talent, we will struggle.

The long-term impact could be even worse - without a highly educated workforce, Johor may fail to attract the kind of investments that create high-value jobs, leaving us dependent on lower-skilled industries.

Meanwhile, Sarawak has taken bold steps to support its students through free tertiary education for selected courses in its state-owned universities starting 2026.

Meritocracy

While access to education should be equitable, we must also ensure that meritocracy is upheld so that our brightest minds - regardless of background - are given the opportunities they deserve.

Sarawak’s model can be a lesson for us. What if Johor also provided free education for state-owned universities? Or at least, financial aid tied to work bonds?

This would ensure our students get the education they need while also keeping them in Johor’s workforce for a few years.

If Johor truly wants to be the “next Guangzhou,” it needs to act.

The state government should also look into partnerships with international universities to bring top-tier education closer to home.

Establishing Johor as an educational hub in the region would create jobs, retain talent, and elevate the quality of our workforce.

A strong economy is built on a strong education system. The government must step up, not just in talk, but in real action.

Free education is not a radical idea. Sarawak is on track to doing it. Other countries have also implemented similar policies with success, proving that the economic benefits far outweigh the costs in the long run.

If we don’t do something soon, we will not only lose talent but also lose our chance to be a true economic powerhouse.

Johor must invest in its people. The future depends on it.

The writer is the Jementah assemblyperson.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini