▁the ▁Malays ian ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁Naj ib ▁Tun ▁Raz ak . ▁This ▁ ▁bridge , ▁linking ▁B atu ▁Ma ung ▁on ▁Pen ang ▁Island ▁and ▁B atu ▁K aw an ▁in ▁Se ber ang ▁P era i , ▁is ▁currently ▁the ▁longest ▁bridge ▁in ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁ ▁I sk and ar ▁Malays ia ▁and ▁Joh or ▁Bah ru ▁ ▁The ▁history ▁of ▁high ways ▁in ▁Joh or ▁Bah ru ▁started ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁when ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Joh or ▁Bah ru ▁became ▁a ▁main ▁southern ▁international ▁gateway ▁to ▁Malays ia ▁from ▁Singapore ▁after ▁the ▁separation ▁of ▁Singapore ▁from ▁Malays ia ▁on ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁reasons ▁for ▁building ▁express ways ▁in ▁Joh or ▁Bah ru ▁are ▁the ▁increasing ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁Joh or ▁Bah ru ▁metropol itan ▁area ▁since ▁it ▁achieved ▁city ▁status ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁and ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Joh or ▁Econom ic ▁Region ▁( S J ER ) ▁or ▁I sk and ar ▁Development ▁Region ▁( ID R ) ▁( now ▁I sk and ar ▁Malays ia ) ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Many ▁town ships ▁have ▁been ▁constructed ▁around ▁Joh or ▁Bah ru ▁and ▁industrial ▁est ates ▁have ▁been ▁developed ▁in ▁areas ▁such ▁as ▁Sen ai , ▁Sk ud ai , ▁T eb ra u , ▁Pas ir ▁G ud ang ▁and ▁Tam po i . ▁ ▁The