IPOH – Perak aims to install 1,000 units of smart solar street lights in areas in need, including the interior and Orang Asli villages, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
He said the installation of these lights, costing over RM7,000 per unit depending on specifications, would be done in stages over a period of 12 months.
“Many Orang Asli villagers complain of the lack of adequate lighting and demand that the state government install streetlights.
“There used to be a programme where the electricity bill was financed by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, but there were too many villages, and the government was not able to pay for it.
“There will be no more issues with electricity bills with this technology because it uses solar energy and allows us to save costs,” he told reporters after officiating the Perak Techno Trade Centre @ Meru Raya building preservation programme with the use of smart solar street lighting and rooftop solar panels here last night.
Saarani said the state government would conduct a detailed study to identify priority locations that require solar lighting because it receives many applications from all over the state, including Felda settlements.
Meanwhile, he said that more administrative areas in the state, including Manjung and Tg Malim, have the potential to achieve the status of a city.
“Apart from Manjung, which has already expressed its readiness, Tg Malim is also expected to see an increase in population when many industrial workers move to the area. Therefore, many facilities will be built, such as schools, markets, and hospitals, which will encourage the development of a new city,” he said.
However, several criteria need to be fulfilled and approved by the Local Government Development Ministry, such as the number of residents, to gain recognition as a city, he added.
He said the state government also plans to provide additional housing to accommodate the increase in population, adding that there needs to be an entity that controls development towards achieving city status. – Bernama, May 11, 2023
