Latest news with #PerakSejahtera2030
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Lumut Maritime City to be positioned as global industrial hub
KUALA LUMPUR: The Perak State Development Corporation (PKNPk) and Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (PoABI) have reaffirmed their strong commitment to advancing the Lumut Maritime Industrial City (LuMIC), aiming to establish it as a world-class maritime industrial hub in Southeast Asia. This commitment was underscored during the recent LuMIC Development Sdn Bhd (LuMIC DevCo) board meeting in Antwerp, Belgium, where PKNPk and PoABI — the project's joint shareholders — reviewed progress and outlined the next phase of development. PoABI continues to serve as PKNPk's principal international partner, leveraging its global expertise in maritime infrastructure, industrial planning, and smart logistics to guide LuMIC's strategic roadmap. "PoABI has been instrumental in shaping the foundation of LuMIC's long-term vision and master plan," said Datuk Redza Rafiq, chief executive of PKNPk. "Our collaboration reflects a shared vision for creating a future-forward maritime gateway that brings real socio-economic impact to the people of Perak while positioning Malaysia on the international trade map." Since formalising their partnership in 2023 through the establishment of LuMIC Development Sdn Bhd, PKNPk and PoABI have completed LuMIC's comprehensive master plan, driven knowledge transfer initiatives, and engaged with global maritime players to attract investment. This foundation positions LuMIC to grow into a premier deep-sea industrial city that is sustainable, resilient, and competitive, fully aligned with the EU-ASEAN Global Gateway strategy. "We remain fully invested in the LuMIC agenda as a shareholder, be it as a technical advisor or also as a long-term strategic collaborator in unlocking LuMIC's full potential," said Philippe Droesbeke, Board member of LuMIC DevCo, representing PoABI. "Our role is to help translate vision into actionable outcomes from concept to execution, ensuring LuMIC meets global standards while fostering inclusive local growth." "LuMIC is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build something transformative," added Alex Staring, Chief Business Development Officer, LuMIC DevCo. "We are proud to work alongside PKNPk and PoABI in co-creating value for the state via a smart, green and scalable maritime city aligned with future trade flows and emerging industrial ecosystems." Anchored under Perak Sejahtera 2030, the state's long-term development plan, LuMIC serves as a catalyst for Flagship 13: Port and Maritime Hub — an initiative designed to spur investment across related sectors including energy, manufacturing, logistics, and digital infrastructure. The partnership continues to gain momentum with clear alignment and a shared purpose, with PoABI leading LuMIC's global development strategy. As part of the Perak Menteri Besar's official working visit to Europe in May 2025, PKNPk and PoABI met with several potential investors keen to explore opportunities within LuMIC. Following these discussions, three interested parties have already conducted initial site visits to evaluate the project's industrial readiness and strategic value. In conjunction with this week's Board meeting in Antwerp, the PKNPk delegation also held follow-up talks with these prospects to move collaboration discussions forward. These engagements highlight growing international confidence in LuMIC's long-term vision and reinforce PoABI's pivotal role as a bridge connecting European industrial expertise and investment with Malaysia's next-generation maritime development.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
State-federal synergy driving plan's success
LENGGONG: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said strong synergy between the state and federal governments is one of the key factors behind the success of the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan to date. He said this synergy had enabled the successful implementation of 108 projects and initiatives outlined in the plan thus far. "This proves how the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan and the Malaysia Madani vision initiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim complement each other. "This synergy can be seen in how the leadership at both the state and federal levels, and across departments and agencies, share compatibility and a mutual willingness to complement one another. "We want to strengthen this synergy further so we can achieve even greater success," he said when presenting the third-year progress report for the plan at Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara here yesterday. Saarani shared examples of several out-of-the-box approaches carried out across state and federal departments that enabled all five high-impact projects in Perak to be swiftly mobilised. He said one of the initiatives was the Muallim-Speed Lane, which shortened the approval process for construction up to the Certificate of Completion and Compliance and operational licensing levels. "The Kerian Green Lane applies the principle of 'agile regulation' to expedite approvals in industrial areas while a Land Affairs Express Lane has been introduced to shorten the land approval process to as short as one day, compared to three to six months previously. "There is also strong synergy in the implementation of various people's welfare programmes, where both state and federal agencies and departments work hand-in-hand to ease the burden of those in need," he said.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Momentum stays strong
LENGGONG: Perak is on track to achieving the nine key agendas outlined in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan to drive the state's socioeconomic development. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said out of the 272 projects and initiatives in the plan — now entering the third year of implementation — 108 had been completed, 128 were being implemented and 36 in the pre-implementation stage. "We have identified 127 projects to be included in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Dashboard for monitoring," said Saarani when presenting the third-year progress report for the plan at Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi Mara here yesterday. The Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan, launched on June 15, 2022, outlines nine key development agendas for the state. They are Security, Digital Economy, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Malaysia TVET Corridor, Responsible Mining, Governance of State-Interest Projects, Social Development, Environmental and Biodiversity Sustainability and Empowerment of Local Authorities. Saarani said a key focus of the state's current efforts was the development of five strategic growth nodes to serve as major economic drivers for Perak over the next decade. "These five growth nodes are the Automotive High Tech Valley in Tanjong Malim, Lumut Maritime Industrial City in Manjung, Silver Valley Technology Park in Kanthan, Perak Halal Industrial Park in Lekir, and the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park in Kerian. "Perak aims to shine in the field of responsible mining, while exploring three emerging economic sectors more broadly, which are the Blue Economy, the Green Economy and the Care Economy. "That's why we want to strengthen the education sector, especially in the field of TVET, so that we can prepare our youth for the future job market." Saarani added that several economic indicators showed that Perak had successfully recovered from the downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. "We (Perak) were once on the brink of recession, recording a deficit of up to RM70 million. But we have bounced back with a surplus for three consecutive years, including RM64 million in 2023, the highest in our history. "The declining unemployment rate and increasing labour force participation over the past three years, along with improving economic growth momentum, give us the confidence to realise the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan," he added.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Perak ensures NR-REE mining follows strict environmental safeguards
LENGGONG: The Perak government has pledged that non-radioactive rare earth element (NR-REE) mining will not compromise environmental safety. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad emphasised that while NR-REE mining offers economic benefits, environmental protection remains a top priority. Saarani stated that modern techniques like In-Situ Leaching (ISL) will replace traditional excavation methods. ISL involves injecting ammonium sulfate solution underground to dissolve rare earth elements, which are then extracted without large-scale land disruption. 'Our pilot project in Mukim Kenering strictly follows Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guidelines. 'The ISL method ensures minimal environmental impact, prevents deforestation, and eliminates landslide risks,' he said during the Perak Sejahtera 2030 progress report presentation. The state will halt any NR-REE operations violating SOPs or technical agency requirements. Saarani added that Perak's NR-REE reserves, estimated at 1.7 million metric tonnes, are primarily located in forest reserves across Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Larut Matang, and Selama.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Perak's socioeconomic recovery gains momentum under 2030 plan
LENGGONG: Perak is making steady progress in its socioeconomic recovery following the pandemic, with significant improvements recorded under the Perak Sejahtera 2030 development plan, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad. Speaking at the third-year progress report presentation, Saarani highlighted that 108 out of 272 planned projects have been completed since the initiative's launch in June 2022. Another 128 projects are underway, while 36 are in pre-implementation stages. 'The state government has identified 127 additional projects to be included in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 Dashboard for systematic monitoring,' he said. The state is focusing on five key economic growth nodes while exploring new sectors such as the Blue, Green, and Care Economies to drive sustainable development. Economic indicators reflect Perak's recovery, with the state shifting from a RM70 million deficit to a surplus of RM64 million in 2023, the highest in its history. Unemployment has also declined to 3.9 per cent in 2024 from 4.7 per cent in 2021. 'The improved financial performance allows us to increase welfare allocations, ensuring better support for those in need,' Saarani added. The progress is attributed to strong collaboration between state and federal governments in implementing people-centric initiatives.
