Loh (left) and Saarani (third from right) being briefed about the SVTP project in January. — Filepic
Kanthan vegetable farmers compensated last month for agreeing to move out
FORMER farmers cultivating on state land illegally for decades in Kanthan near Ipoh, Perak, have been paid compensation after moving out to make way for the Silver Valley Technology Park (SVTP) project.
State tourism, industry, investment and corridor development committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said work on the first phase of SVTP could now start as the farmers had moved out last month.
He said the state economic development arm Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNPk) together with the developer of the project held a ceremony to hand over the payment on Nov 21.
“The 20-year-old issue has been resolved without any untoward incidents.
“The developer is now carrying out land clearance work on a 131.5ha site for Phase I,” he said in reply to Mohd Hafez Sabri (PN-Manjoi) during the Perak State Assembly sitting at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan in Ipoh yesterday.
Mohd Hafez had asked about the development status of SVTP.
Loh said the developer was expected to commence preliminary infrastructure works on the site in the first quarter of next year.
“The industrial sector plays an important role in the economic development of the state, and based on the Market and Property Report, the performance of the property market in Perak was encouraging in 2023.
“Market activity showed an upward movement,” he said, highlighting that the state government was committed to providing initiatives to drive Perak’s economy.
Among them were infrastructure empowerment, investment incentives, trade and investment promotions to China and Taiwan as well as skills development institutions to grow talent.
Under the leadership of Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, Loh said Perak had been taking a new approach namely “thinking out of the box”.
“In the 13th Malaysia Plan engagement session, the Economy Minister had praised the Perak government for being the only state that applied for a RM50mil loan for the SVTP project.
“This is in contrast to the approach of other states that are likely to apply for direct allocations,” Loh added.
