PARIT BUNTAR: The Finance Ministry has registered the proposed construction of a new highway alignment that will connect Tanjung Malim to Lumut.
Confirming the matter, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the construction of the highway was necessary to facilitate export logistics services through the Lumut Maritime Industrial City (LuMIC) when the High Technology Automotive Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim begins operation.
"If the products produced at LuMIC are sent to Port Klang (Selangor), it will create further congestion... that's why we want to empower Lumut Port.
"We want this highway project to be built during the same time as the AHTV development so that once the factories are operational, the products produced can be sent directly through the new highway," he said.
He told reporters after launching the 50 megawatt (MW) Solar Power Plant and Handing over Perak Sejahtera Housing Loan Offer Letters (PPPS) to 30 squatter residents at the Sungai Kerian reserve here today.
Commenting further, Saarani said the registration of the proposed highway project by the Finance Ministry was a follow-up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's recent visit to Perak.
"We have listed 10 things to the Prime Minister for implementation in this state for consideration at the federal level.
"We understand that the Finance Ministryhas registered the proposed highway project as a priority project and the Economic Planning Unit will study its implementation," he said.
Meanwhile, commenting on the solar energy power plant, Saarani said the solar farm costing a project cost of RM250 million with a capacity of 50MW is capable of generating green energy for 25,000 households a year, thereby reducing 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and saving electricity consumption every year.
He said the construction of the solar farm was in line with the Green Technology Agenda (Solar and Hydro) in the Prosperous Perak Development Plan 2030.
"It is an initial step to make the Kerian District a high-tech and green development hub as planned by the government in developing the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (KIGIP) in this district," he said.– BERNAMA