IPOH: A total of RM3bil has been requested by the Perak government to implement several projects, says Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The Perak Mentri Besar said the request was made to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the upcoming budget tabling.
"Together with the State Secretary, Datuk Ahmad Suadi Abdul Rahim, and three of our committee chairmen, we took the initiative to meet Anwar and made the request.
"The RM3bil budget primarily focuses on the complaints we had from members of the public, such as fixing the road conditions and adding more beds at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital,” he told reporters at the state secretariat building here on Wednesday (Feb 8).
Earlier, during a press conference in Putrajaya, Anwar said the budget, set to be re-tabled on Feb 24, would consider the current economic challenges while driving the country’s growth and attracting investment.
Saarani said a meeting between the state government and assemblymen with Finance Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan would be held to discuss the budget on Thursday (Feb 9).
"We understand the country is now recovering (from the pandemic). Therefore, even if we couldn’t get the budget for all the projects, we hope the Federal Government would consider giving us a small portion of what we had requested.
"As for the meeting with Ahmad Maslan tomorrow (Feb 9), I would like to welcome both assemblymen from the government and opposition to attend," he said.
Separately, Saarani, who is also Perak Umno chairman, said he had no intention of contesting in the upcoming party election.
"I am just a small leader and I am happy with my current position.
"However, if there is any member who wishes to contest, they can do it as long as it is within the party rules and regulations," he said.
Ahmad Maslan, who is also the party secretary-general, had said Umno would hold its party polls to appoint its new office bearers from Feb 1 to March 18.
