Perak state housing and local government chairman Sandra Ng.
BATU Gajah is on track towards becoming a municipality, says state housing and local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching.
However, its 135,000 population still fell short of the 150,000 requirement for municipal status, she added.
“Achieving the target population is feasible, with several new housing projects slated for development in the next five years,” Ng said after launching an illegal dumpsite cleanup programme and plastic-free day campaign, reports Bernama.
Other than the population criteria, a local council must have minimum tax revenue of RM20mil to achieve municipal status.
Ng added that the state government would identify and strategically plan for local authorities in Perak to upgrade their status within the next three to five years.
“Some, like Batu Gajah District Council (MDBG), may lack sufficient population while others may fail to meet the criteria in terms of tax collection among other aspects.”
MDBG’s administrative area includes five sub-districts, namely Sungai Terap, Belanja, Tanjung Tualang and parts of Sungai Raia and Hulu Kinta.
