Sultan Nazrin (right) handing the Tokoh Keluarga Mithali award to Kasanah.
THIS year was eventful for Perak as there were many memorable occasions for the state and its people.
There were quite a number of Perak folks who were celebrated for their outstanding achievements. Several major development projects were also announced.
The year got off to a wonderful start as Ipoh-born Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh, 60, made Malaysia proud by winning a slew of prestigious awards for her role in the comedy-fantasy film Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Yeoh won Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes Awards in January, Best Female Actor in a Leading Role at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in February and the Oscar for Best Actress at the 95th Academy Awards in March.
On July 27, Yeoh and her long-time fiance, Jean Todt, 77, sealed their 19-year courtship with marriage in Geneva, Switzerland.
She returned to Ipoh in December to celebrate the marriage with her family.
Honours and achievements
Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun security guard R. Yogeswary was bestowed the Pingat Pangkuan Negara by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah during the investiture ceremony at Istana Negara on Dec 19.
More tiger sightings have been reported in the state throughout the year. — Courtesy of WWF
The 44-year-old went viral on social media for going beyond the call of duty in helping patients and visitors at the hospital’s parking lot, thanks to then Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa who praised her actions in a Facebook post.
In September, Kasanah Mukkeri, 79, was presented an award by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah in conjunction with the state-level Maulidur Rasul celebration.
She was honoured for single-handedly bringing up eight children in a poor household and empowering them to succeed.
The housewife from Kampung Pauh, who was widowed in 2002, received the Ammar bin Yassir Family Award (Tokoh Keluarga Mithali) for her efforts.
Three of her children became teachers, one an executive, another, a manager, while two became engineers and one is the Malaysian Highway Authority deputy director.
Kasanah received a plaque, certificate and RM5,000.
In November, the country’s beloved cartoonist Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid, better known as Lat, was conferred the title of Seniman Diraja (Royal Artist) by Sultan Nazrin in conjunction with the Ruler’s 67th birthday celebration.
The announcement was first made in July during the launch of Rumah Lat Gallery in Batu Gajah.
UTAR Hospital’s Western Medical Department is now open.
Abroad, Ipoh-born Eason Rajah, 56, made headlines in Malaysia when he was appointed a High Court judge in England.
The appointment took effect on April 18 when he was assigned to the Chancery Division.
International awards
In September, SJK(T) Menglembu pupil R. Punithamalar, 10, received a Guinness World Record certificate for arranging pieces on a chessboard blindfolded in a mere 45.72 seconds – the world’s fastest.
The Year Four pupil, who aspires to be a space scientist, aims to set another world record by identifying the flags of 195 countries in the fastest time while blindfolded.
In conjunction with World Ranger Day on July 31, the Orang Asli Menraq Patrol Unit became the first Malaysian team to win the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN WCPA) International Ranger Award 2023 for their conservation efforts in Royal Belum State Park to ensure protection for the critically endangered Malayan tiger.
Comprising Jahai tribesmen, the team received US$10,000 (RM45,495) to support its efforts and members received a custom uniform patch to signify their achievement.
On Oct 31, Ipoh became one of 55 Music Cities in the world under United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
It joins Music Cities such as Liverpool, Havana, Kansas City, Kingston, Adelaide, Seville, Kinshasa, Abu Dhabi, Glasgow, Tallinn and Port of Spain.
Punithamalar with her Guiness World Records certificate.
Festive celebrations
At the end of January, about 40,000 people thronged Lost World of Tambun to attend Perak’s state-level Chinese New Year open house celebration.
The event was graced by Sultan Nazrin and attended by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
In May, the Perak Ruler graced the Malaysia Madani Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at the theme park.
More than 50,000 visitors turned up at the event, including Anwar and Saarani.
Projects and developments
In terms of local economy, the biggest news of the year was the announcement of a joint venture between Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd and DRB-Hicom Bhd to develop the Automotive Hi-Tech Valley (AHTV) in Tanjung Malim.
A joint venture agreement was signed in December to develop the project, which is expected to attract RM32bil in investments.
Saarani said the state would provide a location for the construction of a university of international standards in Proton City, Tanjung Malim, as proposed by Geely.
On Oct 17, Ipoh City Council, Thermowaste Mancuso Energy Sdn Bhd and Selekta Spektra joined hands through a memorandum of understanding to develop a thermal waste treatment plant.
Silverlake Village Outlet Perak with dinosaur theme park will be ready for Visit Perak Year 2024.
The plant would see Ipoh become the first city in Asia where 100% of its waste would be treated using eco-friendly technology.
Solid waste could be turned into reusable materials, including biomass as fuel substitutes.
On Nov 11, Saarani confirmed that the state government has agreed to sell treated water to Penang following an agreement between the state secretaries, concluding 14 years of discussions.
In December, Saarani said the Federal Government had given the nod for the construction of the West Ipoh Span Expressway (WISE).
The expressway would connect Gopeng and Kuala Kangsar along a 60km route and would bypass the Menora Tunnel, where accidents have often occurred.
Saarani also said the non-radioactive rare earth element (NR-REE) mining project, which started last year, has seen Perak receive RM21.1mil in royalty payments as of November.
He later said that a NR-REE laboratory would be built in Simpang Pulai.
New facilities, attractions
The state also saw several new attractions and improvements to local facilities launched this year.
In January, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announced the redevelopment plan for the 64-year-old Pasir Pinji market.
Saarani unveiling Perak Budget 2024 which is the state’s highest ever.
The project, estimated to cost between RM12mil and RM14mil, will have self-sustainable and green features, and is expected to be ready by March 2026.
A RM1mil temporary market at Kelab Kilat field, about 1km from the current wet market, will be ready by February.
On Aug 1, the Western Medical Department at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Hospital in Kampar officially opened its doors.
Its services included outpatient specialist services, health screenings and in-patient services.
Its traditional Chinese medical centre, which offered Chinese, ayurvedic and Malay treatments, received more than 20,000 patients since it began operations in April last year.
A Hard Rock Cafe is also expected to be opened in Ipoh next year, having been announced in June.
Its Rock Shop, which sells Hard Rock merchandise, is now running in Jalan Sultan Iskandar.
Perak tourism committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said the state’s first premium outlet, The Silverlake Village Outlet, would be ready in time for Visit Perak Year 2024.
A dinosaur exhibition “Dinosaur Encounter World”, with augmented reality, virtual reality and animatronic features, was also launched there.
In August, Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin also announced that a dinosaur park would be set up at Gunung Lang Recreational Park.
The park is expected to be opened mid-2024 with the first phase featuring static and animatronic dinosaurs.
The recreational park already features a petting zoo.
M. Daud Kilau, known as Raja Gelek Malaysia, passed away on Dec 18.
Clashes with wildlife
Encounters with wildlife have been on the increase this year.
A Malayan tiger was killed after being rammed by a trailer along the North-South Expressway near the Gua Tempurung rest area on Nov 9.
Perak environment committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said the tiger, between eight and 10 years old, was believed to be the same one that had been attacking livestock in Kampar.
Earlier in June, a tiger was reportedly shot dead after the animal attacked a villager’s cattle in Dala, Gerik.
More tiger sightings were reported in the state throughout the year, including in Tanah Hitam and Kampung Ulu Kuang (Chemor), Kampung Kolam (Tanjung Rambutan), Tanjung Damai, Kampung Orang Asli Tonggang and near the General Operations Force (GOF) base (Ulu Kinta) and Bukit Berekeh and Kuala Mu (Sungai Siput).
The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) believes that the sudden reduction in wild boar due to African Swine Fever led to tigers roaming closer to villages.
On Aug 15, a wild elephant trampled a 63-year-old Orang Asli woman to death near a durian orchard in Kampung Bal, Kemar Resettlement Scheme (RPS), Gerik.
Storms and floods
In mid-April, heavy rain and strong winds damaged five houses and uprooted several trees in Ipoh.
A spokesperson for the Kinta District Civil Defence Force said the affected houses were in Jalan Berlian, Jalan Uthmaniah and Jalan Kledang.
The incident also caused several trees to fall on cars in Taman Silibin, Jalan Jelapang, the Ipoh-Lumut Highway and Lengkuk Rishah.
Menora Tunnel on the North-South Expressway which will be bypassed by the planned West Ipoh Span Expressway.
Also in April, a water supply issue affected about 80,000 users in Manjung and Perak Tengah districts.
Perak infrastructure, energy, water and public transport committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin had said the disruption was caused by soil movement, causing the position of raw water pipes to shift in the ground.
On the eve of National Day, a storm wreaked havoc in several parts of Ipoh, including the location for state-level celebrations as canopies and tents at the venue were blown away.
It blew off some roofs and damaged stalls at Ipoh Night Market.
In November, two men and a 73-year-old woman escaped unhurt from a landslip at Kampung Dato Ahmad Said Tambahan Baru 1 in Manjoi.
Hundreds of people were also displaced due to flash floods that hit several districts, including Hilir Perak, Hulu Perak, Kerian and some parts of Ipoh during the monsoon season.
Highest state budget
Perak government had approved RM1.35bil for its 2024 Budget, the highest in the state’s history, at the state assembly sitting earlier this month.
Saarani said RM491mil would be for development while RM856mil would be for operating expenses.
Stepping up integrity
This month, state local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng said local council enforcement officers would be equipped with body cameras early next year.
This, she said, would increase the level of integrity as well as protect enforcement officers and the community, as the cameras would be a useful tool in collecting evidence.
Notable departures
On Aug 27, former Ipoh mayor Datuk Zamri Man, 56, passed away at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun.
He had served as mayor from 2015 to 2019.
On Dec 18, legendary singer Datuk M. Daud Kilau, 85, passed away at Hospital Teluk Intan.
He was known by the nickname “Raja Gelek Malaysia” and for his popular song Cek Mek Molek.
