The Perak Menteri Besar posing for a group photo with guests present.

IPOH, 26 January 2023 – Perak Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad outlined five main focuses as an important agenda for the state government in 2023 in his Executive Talk and New Year Message 2023.

All the five focuses are key to the important agenda that will be accomplished by the Perak State Government. The five focuses are as follows: -

1. Increasing Revenue & State Economic Competitiveness

Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad hoped that the Revenue and Expenditure targets have been increased to ensure that the State Government continues to increase its focus on better revenue collection so that the implementation of developments can be carried out as planned.

Among the steps that can be taken to ensure consistent and high revenue collection are:

• Redoubling efforts to collect arrears, especially land tax arrears.
• Reviewing all agreements involving the state government, especially related to the scope ofrevenue generation for the state government.
• Taking improvement actions on all audit remarks involving the scope of revenue generation for the State Government.
• Updating enactments, rules and regulations involving long-established collection rates.
• Revising the work flow process, especially involving permit/licence approval applications for certain fees charged. In other words, speeding up the application process.
• Expand the use of online payments to facilitate revenue payments to the State Government in line with the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint 2030 (MyDigital).

2. Strengthening Synergy in the Delivery System

Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad outlined 3 approaches that can be applied by civil servants in the state in strengthening synergy in the delivery system:

• Sense of crisis will require us to always anticipate crises based on data to enable us to take mitigation measures at critical times.
• Sense of empathy calls upon us to always understand the wishes and the needs of the people in need.
• Sense of urgency allows us to always be proactive to ensure that any issues raised can be resolved quickly and efficiently. This requires creativity and innovation in our every move and      action.

3. Striving for Self-Sufficiency and People's Capacity

The State Government has outlined various specific programmes to enable the people to be self-sufficient in the face of the uncertain economic situation.

Besides the social aid through welfare departments and agencies, various programmes and initiatives were provided by the government, including the giving of Kad Perak Sejahtera, Teduhan Kasih Anak-Anak Perak Programme, food boxes and housing assistance schemes.

4. Inclusion of Digital And Technology Initiatives

Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad stressed that digitilisation is a future economic resource and therefore the state government will establish the Perak Digital Economy Council to determine policies and initiatives related to digital economy at the state level and monitor the coordination of initiatives among the central government, state and private agencies.

At the same time, the providing of telecommunications infrastructure is the main agenda of the State Government in preparing a smart environment to drive the education, business and government governance sectors. The Federal Government has launched the National Digital Interconnection Plan (JENDELA) to improve the communication and broadband access network for the entire state of Perak.

5. Conserving Environmental Sustainability

Dato' Seri Saarani Mohamad thought the environmental sustainability agenda needs to be consistent and sustainable. Accordingly, the environmental conservation measures being implemented will continue to be strengthened. Among them:

• Intensifying conservation initiatives.
• Expanding green technology initiatives.
• Strengthening the waste to energy (WTE) initiative.
• Increasing enforcement measures related to environmental protection.

The five main thrusts were delivered by the Perak Menteri Besar in his speech at the Executive Talk and New Year Message 2023 at Hotel Casuarina@Meru here.

Also present were State Secretary Dato' Ahmad Suaidi Abdul Rahim, State Financial Officer Mohd Zaki Mahyudin State Exco members.

Source : Corporate, SUK Perak.