Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin speaking at the press conference after tabling of the city's 2025 budget on Aug 30.
IPOH: The Ipoh City Council is expecting a deficit of around RM2.45mil next year as it tables its Budget 2025.
Ipoh mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the council’s expected expenditure for next year was about RM267mil, while its forecasted revenue was RM264.55mil.
This is the fifth year in a row Ipoh is recording a deficit budget, the City Council said in a statement.
He said a bulk of the expenditure would be for the city council’s operating expenses at RM247mil.
"From the amount, RM121.59mil will be used for emoluments, RM114.16mil will be for services and supplies, RM0.8mil for purchase of assets, RM3.4mil for grants and fixed charges, while RM7.05mil will be for other expenses,” he said during the tabling of the 2025 budget at the Ipoh City Council headquarters on Aug 30.
Rumaizi added that RM33.5mil would be allocated for the development of the city.
He also said RM5.5mil will be used to maintain Ipoh as the cleanest city, including the continued distribution of free garbage bins and the cleaning of over 2,000 illegal dumping hotspots.
"Approximately RM3mil would be used for distribution through the Ipoh Landscape Master Plan 2023-2035 for the development of landscape spaces.
"RM3.5mil will be used for infrastructure development facilities and RM1.5mil will be used for the Council's building and property development for conservation and maintenance purposes.
"Moreover, a total of RM10mil will be used to cover capital expenditure development.
"Other expenditures include allocations for our Low Carbon City and Smart City initiatives,” he added.
On the city council’s revenue, Rumaizi said the main contributor would be from taxes, which was RM172mil or 65%.
"I urge all the residents as well as the Council administration to join hands in empowering inclusive urban management towards a smart, low-carbon, and prosperous city by 2030.
"This is to ensure that all benefits can be enjoyed by the people, in line with the aspirations of the unity government for the well-being of the Malaysia Madani society," he said.
