Perak records revenue of more than RM1b in 2019

IPOH (Jan 21): Perak’s Pakatan Harapan-led government has recorded a revenue of RM1.09 billion last year, exceeding its target of RM1.03 billion.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the figure was RM63.9 million higher than the revenue recorded in 2018, adding that one of the main contributors was the Perak Land and Mines office.

"The land revenue collection in 2019 was RM688.7 million, and this resulted in the state government having a surplus of RM52.33 million at the end of the year, up from the RM50.11 million recorded in 2018," he said at the 'Executive Talk' and the delivery of the new year mandate to state civil servants here today.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Faizal denied allegations that the financial performance was due to the state government’s move to reduce its spending, especially on development expenditures.

"Such assumptions are unfounded because the records show that the utillisation of the allocations for operating expenses and emoluments was at 96% and development expenditure was at 90%.

"This year, the state government has allocated RM430 million to implement development projects compared to RM400 million in 2019 — the highest amount that has been allocated in the past five years," he added.