IPOH: Perak is hopeful that the 2025 Budget will prioritise the completion of two crucial projects: the water transfer initiative from Sungai Perak to the Bukit Merah Dam and the mining of minerals within the state.
Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad (pic) announced that the RM4bil water transfer project, already approved by the federal government, should commence next year.
Although the RM4bil allocation has been sanctioned, funds will be released in phases, requiring the project to start next year.
Saarani emphasised the need for allocations to enhance mineral exploration, saying, "We’ve established the Terra Mineral Lab to identify what types of minerals we have, but we need budget allocations to support further exploration efforts."
He mentioned that poverty alleviation programmes and flood mitigation projects are also part of the wish list, highlighting flooding as a significant issue for the state, which causes substantial losses for both the government and the public.
This requires significant funding and is one of our biggest priorities.
However, the exact amount needed for these allocations was not disclosed.
The state Economic Planning Unit has submitted the wish list and Saarani will meet the Prime Minister to discuss it further.
On a different note, Saarani revealed that as of 2023, about 24,186 individuals were recorded as drug addicts in the state, indicating that drug abuse remains widespread in Perak despite ongoing prevention efforts.
As of March 2024, there were 62,143 new cases of drug addiction recorded, representing 51.2% of the total 121,170 cases nationwide. Alarmingly, 60% of these cases involve teenagers and young adults.
The Perak Malaysian Anti-Drug Association (Pemadam) received a larger allocation from the state government this year, amounting to about RM200,000, which will be used for various programmes targeting school pupils across the state.
Saarani stressed that unity, commitment, and support from all levels of society are crucial to eradicating this threat.
