PERAK CONTINUES EFFORTS TO BOOST REVENUE, MAINTAIN PRUDENT SPENDING - SULTAN NAZRIN

IPOH, April 15 (Bernama) -- Perak will continue its efforts to increase state revenue while observing prudent expenditure, says Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.

His Royal Highness said the state’s revenue collection for 2024 exceeded expectations, reaching RM1.3 billion -- an increase of RM118.5 million compared to the previous year.

He said that for the third consecutive year, the state government successfully closed the Consolidated Revenue Account with a surplus, recording a preliminary (unaudited) figure of RM45.6 million as of Dec 31, 2024.

“Several initiatives are being implemented to unlock new revenue streams for the state. Among them are the strengthening of water resource management and enforcement under the Perak Water Resources Enactment 2023 and the introduction of a Local Service Charge under the Hotel Enactment 2023.

“In addition, royalty income from the non-radioactive rare earth elements (NR-REE) mining industry is expected to contribute significantly to the state revenue,” said Sultan Nazrin when opening the Third Session of the 15th Perak State Legislative Assembly at Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here today.

Sultan Nazrin said the state has also launched the Blue Economy Roadmap as a strategic approach to sustainably harness the blue economy’s vast potential, aiming to enhance marine wealth while ensuring the responsible stewardship of ocean resources.

“The development of this sector will be driven through the development of key sectors, the strengthening of science, technology and innovation, as well as enhanced governance of marine conservation efforts,” he said.

According to Sultan Nazrin, smart city development is also being pursued through the Smart City Blueprint 2040, which prioritises people-centric urban planning.

He noted that the Manjung Municipal Council and Kampar District Council have been recognised as Smart City Early Adopters under the 2024 Smart City Rating Awards.

“Meanwhile, Ipoh City Council is set to host the Cities Series Windows: Smart Green ASEAN Cities 2025, an international conference that will bring together 12 cities from across ASEAN member states,” he said.

Sultan Nazrin expressed appreciation to the Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for their support, particularly in providing financial assistance towards Perak’s smart city aspirations.

Meanwhile, His Royal Highness said various efforts have been initiated to enhance the achievements and performance of Perak-born students, with 17 programmes implemented to ensure access to quality education across all segments of society.

He said the Perak Youth Aspiration Centre (PASAK) has intensified its efforts with the rollout of nine skills enhancement programmes, in line with the state’s vision of becoming a hub for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), one capable of producing a highly competitive and future-ready talent pool.

“To support this agenda, financial assistance is provided to Perak-born students from families earning RM7,500 or below per month, enabling them to pursue tertiary education at institutions within Malaysia and abroad. In 2024, more than 6,000 students have benefitted from this initiative,” said the Perak ruler.

Sultan Nazrin also congratulated the Perak contingent for securing 35 gold, 38 silver and 56 bronze medals at the 21st Malaysia Games (SUKMA), placing the state seventh overall, an improvement from the previous edition.

-- BERNAMA