IPOH, Aug 6 — Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said today he supports the move to sell off the official residence of the Perak mentri besar at Jalan Raja Di-Hilir.

The Pangkor assemblyman claimed he had floated the idea to sell the place during his tenure as the state’s MB, but his proposal back then was shot down by Pakatan Harapan lawmakers.

"But now it is different. Everything is fine,” he said.

"During our time, everything is not fine. It is wastage,” he remarked.

Speaking to reporters after the opening of the Perak state assembly by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah at the State Secretariat building here today, Zambry said the official residence was rundown and no longer strategic.

"I am sure the current Mentri Besar (Ahmad Faizal Azumu) had seen the situation inside himself. That is why he declined to stay in it,” he added.

Ahmad Faizal was recently quoted as saying the decision to move the mentri besar’s official residence was due to ongoing high-rise development surrounding the 5.3-hectare property, which made it unsuitable for a mentri besar to live there.

"The state Economic Planning Unit is currently gathering suggestions on what to do with the residence,” the 12th Perak mentri besar was reported to have said during a function in conjunction with Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition’s 100 days in power.

He is currently staying at the official residence of the State Secretary, also at Jalan Raja Di-Hilir.

Zambry said the important thing was to respect institution homes.

"Aside from mentri besar’s official residence, the state secretary’s official residence is also an institution home,” he added.