Perak On Right Track For Post-pandemic Socioeconomic Recovery- MB

LENGGONG, June 30 (Bernama) -- Perak is on the right track in its post-pandemic socioeconomic recovery efforts and has laid out various initiatives for the well-being of its people by 2030, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

He said that as the Perak Sejahtera 2030 development plan enters its third year, there have been significant improvements in the people’s standard of living.

“Since its launch on June 15, 2022, 108 out of the 272 outlined projects and initiatives have been completed. Another 128 are currently in progress, while the remaining 36 are at the pre-implementation stage.

“The state government has also identified 127 new projects to be listed in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Dashboard for systematic monitoring and progress reporting,” he said when presenting the Third-Year Progress Report of Perak Sejahtera 2030, here today.

He noted that as the plan enters its fourth year of implementation, the state government remains committed to accelerating the development of five economic growth nodes and exploring new economic sectors.

Saarani said the state government is also mobilising efforts to further strengthen Perak Sejahtera 2030 by exploring new revenue sources, particularly in the Blue, Green, and Care Economies, to boost sustainable state development.

“The various initiatives carried out over the past three years have shown encouraging progress, reflecting the state government’s determination to bring about positive changes for the people,” he said.

According to Saarani, several economic indicators show that Perak has successfully risen from the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The state was once on the brink of recession, with a deficit of RM70 million, but we have rebounded with a surplus for three consecutive years, including RM64 million in 2023, the highest in Perak’s history.

“The unemployment rate has also dropped to 3.9 per cent in 2024 compared to 4.7 per cent in 2021, while the labour force participation rate increased to 65.8 per cent last year. The improving economic growth momentum has also strengthened confidence in the successful implementation of the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan,” he said.

He added that the strong financial performance and steady economic growth momentum have enabled the state government to increase various welfare allocations, including increasing the rate of assistance for those in need.

“These achievements are the result of shared governance and close cooperation between the state and federal government in implementing various people-centric initiatives,” he said.

At a press conference after the event, Saarani said that political stability is the key foundation in driving the success of the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan.

He said that any acts of sabotage, including the spreading of slander by any party, could undermine investor confidence in the state.

“I remind my colleagues, including those in the opposition, that while we may have differing views, it should not come at the expense of stability,” he said.

The Perak Sejahtera 2030 Plan was launched on June 15, 2022, when Saarani led the state government through a coalition comprising Barisan Nasional (BN), Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), and PAS.

The plan was continued after the 15th General Election (GE15) when Saarani was reappointed as Menteri Besar through a BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.

Commenting on the plan’s progress, Saarani expressed gratitude for the achievements thus far but stressed that he would not adopt a complacent attitude.

“We must always be prepared to face various uncertainties and continuously improve the development plan,” he said.

-- BERNAMA