Youth vote will be closely watched as Johor heads to polls on Mar 12

Kuala Lumpur

OVER the past 2 years, the livelihoods of those in the Malaysian state of Johor have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, due to the closure of businesses and international borders, especially the 2 land checkpoints with neighbouring Singapore.

According to data released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia in June last year, Johor's gross domestic product shrank by 4.6 per cent in 2020, down from a 2.8 per cent expansion the year before. Johor's construction sector was also badly hit as it suffered the steepest decline among all states in 2020.