Allow timber, quarry industries to resume operations, says Perak MB

Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu passes a ‘sahur’ food pack to a policeman at the Jelapang toll plaza early today. (Bernama pic)

IPOH: Perak wants the federal government to consider allowing industries that could contribute to the state’s economic development to operate during the movement control order (MCO) period.

Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the suspension of many activities during the MCO was affecting the state’s economy.

Faizal said one of the industries that could resume operations was timber, which would not involve many people.

He said timber could be damaged if the suspension continued. Besides, there were also outstanding orders, he told reporters after having “sahur” (pre-dawn meal) with frontliners at a roadblock at the Jelapang toll plaza here early today.

Also present were Perak police chief Razarudin Husain and state Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin.

Faizal said another sector that could be allowed to operate during the MCO was the quarry industry.

“For the quarry industry, the state government is allowed to make a decision and we will choose to allow the industry to operate because it does not involve the public and the location (of the quarries) is far from residential areas,” he said.

He also said about 7,000 packs of food were being prepared everyday during Ramadan for distribution to frontiners for the breaking of fast and pre-dawn meal. - FMT