Gelang Patah

There are 2 constituencies under Gelang Patah Parliamentary which makes the total voters for this Chinese populated area is about 92 thousands people.

In 2013 general election, Barisan Nasional fielded the incumbent Johor Menteri Besar, Abdul Ghani Othman to contest in Gelang Patah against Democratic Action Party Supremo, Lim Kit Siang, a two-term member of parliament for Ipoh Timur. Lim won the election with a majority of 14,762 votes, defeating Abdul Ghani who captured 39,522 votes.

The DAP veteran then expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's decision not to admit former Johor menteri besar Abdul Ghani Othman into his new cabinet.

It is most unfair and ungrateful for Umno leaders to drop Ghani like a tonne of bricks after he failed to defeat me in Gelang Patah," said Lim.

Sime Darby said Ghani will be appointed as an independent and non-executive director. He had served as the Johor menteri besar for four terms lasting 18 years.

In the last general election in 2008, Barisan's Tan Ah Eng from the MCA retained the Gelang Patah seat by 8,851-vote majority. defeating Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Dr Zaleha Mustafa who captured 24, 779 votes, a strong sign that the opposition is making its way.

Kota Iskandar in Iskandar Puteri, the new administration center for Johor Bahru replacing Bukit Timbalan in the heart of Johor is undergoing rapid developments. Various gigantic project kick start by the 5th Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi became a gold mine for ambitious international brands such as Legoland, Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour, San Rio Hello Kitty Town and Frost & Sullivan to benefit from the Iskandar Development Territory. Abdullah's intention was to generate massive Foreign Direct Investment especially from the neighbor country, Singapore and also the middle eastern countries.

With the target to inflow more than RM100 billion FDI under the belt of Iskandar Region Development Authority (IRDA) and with the help of the Federal Government investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Berhad and the Johor State Government, Gelang Patah significantly shifted from being a shantytown to a town of opportunity as it became flooded by foreign companies, foreign forces and expatriates. However, this resulted in an increase in living costs in Gelang Patah.

Gelang Patah terminal

Bus terminals in Gelang Patah are the GP Sentral and Gelang Patah bus terminals.

• Iskandar Malaysia