IPOH, Oct 14 — The Perak government is in the process of finding a suitable location for a high-tech industrial area in Kerian, north of Perak.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said prior to the tabling of Budget 2024, his team had already identified a 40-hectare plot of land for the said development.

“However, following this announcement (in Budget 2024), I see that it requires at least 1,000 acres (404.69 hectares) of land. So, we have to look again,” he told reporters after attending the National Sports Day (HSN) 2023 at Dataran Sultan Azlan Shah here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, when tabling Budget 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, said the government will build a wider ecosystem for the electrical and electronics (E&E) cluster in the northern region by opening a high-tech industrial area in Kerian.

When asked about the specific location to develop this industrial area, Saarani said it will be announced after discussions with the relevant parties.

“We do not want to reveal anything now as there could be various implications. For example, when we announced a commerical project in the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) in Tanjung Malim, suddenly the price of land there rose sharply,” he said.

In the meantime, Saarani said the opening of the high-tech industrial area is expected to speed up the application process for the construction of a water treatment plant (LRA) in the north of Perak.

“We need a big capacity of water, therefore with this facility, it will help to meet the demand for padi irrigation as well as the industry that will be developed in the area,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said the proposal to reduce the entertainment duty in the state will be discussed in the State Government Council Meeting.

“We will conduct a study to see its effects,” he added.

When tabling Budget 2024, the Prime Minister called for the state governments to consider implementing a reduction in entertainment duty which can help support the development of local creative talent in addition to boosting the country’s national tourism activities. — Bernama