Johor's very own academic township, Bandar Akademi, is on track to becoming a reality soon as Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) has expressed keen interest on setting up a campus there.

MCA, which will undertake the development of the Utar branch campus, is expected to take up 200 hectares of reclaimed oil palm plantations owned by YPJ Holdings Sdn Bhd for the project.

"We have found that this area in Johor is very suitable to build the university. The environment here is very peaceful. We are now looking into details of the deal, "Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik, MCA party president said.

YPJ Holdings is the Johor Education Foundation's investment arm, which in turn is owned by the Senate Government.

The entire township, spanning some 8,000ha, will be developed by YPJ Holdings.

"The township is strategically located as it is within an hour's drive from Johor Baru city, Pasir Gudang, Kota Tinggi, Kluang, Kulai and the Senai International Airport," YPJ Holdings deputy executive chairman Datuk Shahrir Nasir said.