Perak seeks RM1.4b in Budget 2027 for key water infrastructure

Perak is seeking at least RM1.4 billion from the Federal Budget to fund a key water project transferring water from Sungai Perak to Bukit Merah to assist drought-affected farmers.

The project needs federal funding for infrastructure, including pumps and tunnels, and is expected to be operational by 2030 or 2031 if budgeted for this year.

Alongside water infrastructure, Perak also requires new and additional school buildings due to increased enrolments and dilapidated existing structures.

IPOH, Sept 28 — Perak is hoping for at least RM1.4 billion in the upcoming Federal Budget to fund key water supply infrastructure, particularly a project to transfer water from Sungai Perak to Bukit Merah to support farmers regularly affected by drought.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the project was among the state’s priorities submitted by the Perak Economic Planning Unit to the Finance Ministry ahead of the Budget announcement.

“We are currently in the phase of realising the project to transfer water from Sungai Perak to Bukit Merah. If there is surplus water later, only then will we consider selling treated water to Penang.

“This is expected to help meet water needs in Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park in northern Perak, including for farmers who, as we know, face problems every time there is a drought,” he said.

Saarani said this in a press conference when asked about state government’s wish list ahead of Federal Budget, at the launching of the 2MW Biogas Renewable Energy Plant at the Lahat Sanitary Landfill here.

Saarani said the project was expected to be operational by around 2030 or 2031 if it proceeded according to schedule.

“Hopefully, it will be included in this year’s Budget,” he said.

He said the project would involve two main components, with the first involving infrastructure such as pumps and water tunnels.

“This infrastructure should be funded by the Federal Government through the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry, with the necessary infrastructure works falling under the federal government’s responsibility through National Water Services Commission,” he said.

Saarani said the second component could be financed through Khazanah Air Perak, a consortium involving the state government and a subsidiary of the Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation.

“We can use loans, either from the federal government, through private finance initiative financing or from banks.

“But this can only be done once the infrastructure is in place,” he said.

Saarani said the infrastructure was crucial as the state had already identified the route for transporting water from Sungai Perak.

“We need pumps to draw the water and tunnels to transport it. This is expensive and needs to be started. That is the most important thing for us,” he said.

He said the estimated cost for the infrastructure alone was between RM1.4 billion and RM2 billion, excluding other components of the project.

“The longer we delay, the more expensive the materials will become,” he said.

Meanwhile, Saarani said the state government had also identified several urgent needs involving schools during a recent state development meeting.

He said one of the immediate concerns was the need for additional buildings at existing schools where six- and seven-year-old pupils would be entering Year One simultaneously next year.

“Therefore, there is a need to construct additional buildings,” he said.

Saarani said another concern involved dilapidated school buildings, with the state government receiving complaints from school principals and parent-teacher associations.

“There are many buildings that are already in poor condition, and this is beyond the capacity of the state government,” he said.

He said Perak also needed new schools in areas experiencing rapid development, particularly new growth areas.

“Whenever new development projects take place, there will be a need for new housing areas. Every new housing development should provide a location for a school.

“Schools are very important. We do not want schools operating in two sessions. We want single-session schools and schools that provide a comfortable environment for students to learn,” he said.

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霹雳州正寻求从联邦预算中获得至少 14 亿令吉的资金，用于一项重要的水利工程，该工程将霹雳河的水输送到武吉美拉，以帮助受干旱影响的农民。

该项目需要联邦政府拨款用于基础设施建设，包括水泵和隧道，如果今年获得预算，预计将于 2030 年或 2031 年投入运营。

除了供水基础设施外，由于入学人数增加和现有建筑破旧，霹雳州还需要新建和增建学校建筑。

怡保，9月28日讯——霹雳州希望在即将出台的联邦预算中获得至少14亿令吉的资金，用于资助重要的供水基础设施，特别是将水从霹雳河输送到武吉美拉的项目，以帮助经常受干旱影响的农民。

霹雳州务大臣拿督斯里沙拉尼·穆罕默德表示，该项目是霹雳州经济策划单位在预算案公布前提交给财政部的州优先事项之一。

“我们目前正处于将霹雳河水输送到红山的项目实施阶段。如果之后有剩余水量，我们才会考虑将处理后的水出售给槟城。”

他说：“这有望帮助满足霹雳州北部吉辇综合绿色工业园的用水需求，包括满足农民的需求，我们都知道，每当干旱来临时，农民都会面临用水难题。”

萨拉尼在拉哈特卫生填埋场2兆瓦沼气可再生能源发电厂启动仪式上，在新闻发布会上被问及州政府在联邦预算出台前的愿望清单时发表了上述言论。

萨拉尼表示，如果按计划进行，该项目预计将于 2030 年或 2031 年左右投入运营。

“希望它能被纳入今年的预算案中，”他说。

他表示，该项目将包含两个主要部分，第一部分涉及水泵和输水隧道等基础设施。

他说：“这项基础设施建设应由联邦政府通过能源转型和水利转型部提供资金，必要的基建工程则由联邦政府通过国家水务委员会负责。”

萨拉尼表示，第二个部分可以通过霹雳州国库控股公司（Khazanah Air Perak）提供资金，该公司是由州政府和霹雳州农业发展公司（Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation）的子公司组成的财团。

“我们可以使用贷款，贷款来源可以是联邦政府、私人融资计划或银行。

“但这只有在基础设施到位之后才能实现，”他说。

萨拉尼表示，基础设施至关重要，因为该州已经确定了从霹雳河输水的路线。

“我们需要水泵抽水，还需要隧道输送水。这笔费用很高，而且必须马上启动。这对我们来说是最重要的事。”他说道。

他表示，仅基础设施建设的预计成本就在14亿至20亿令吉之间，还不包括该项目的其他组成部分。

他说：“我们拖得越久，材料成本就会越高。”

与此同时，萨拉尼表示，州政府在最近的一次州发展会议上也确定了学校方面的一些迫切需求。

他表示，眼下最紧迫的问题之一是现有学校需要增建校舍，因为明年六岁和七岁的学生将同时进入一年级。

“因此，有必要建造更多的建筑物，”他说。

萨拉尼表示，另一个令人担忧的问题是学校建筑破旧，州政府收到了来自校长和家长教师协会的投诉。

他说：“有很多建筑物状况已经很差，这超出了州政府的能力范围。”

他表示，霹雳州在快速发展的地区，特别是新兴增长地区，也需要新建学校。

“每当有新的开发项目进行时，就需要新的住房区域。每个新的住房开发项目都应该为学校提供用地。”

他说：“学校非常重要。我们不希望学校实行两班制，我们希望学校实行单班制，并为学生提供舒适的学习环境。”

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