LUMUT, Aug 4 — The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, today opened the Merdeka Hall of the Manjung Municipal Council here.

The Raja Permaisuri of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim, and the Raja Di Hilir of Perak, Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah also attended the event.

Also present were Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

In his speech, Saarani said the opening of the hall marked three closely linked milestones.

“First, the fulfilment of an initiative that began in 2016. Second, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Manjung Municipal Council, and third, the opening of a new chapter towards achieving Tourism and Maritime City status by 2030.

“Built at a cost of RM12.7 million and with a capacity of 2,500 people, Merdeka Hall not only provides a venue for official functions, conferences and community activities, but also serves as a catalyst for the development of a district that is confidently charting a brighter future,” he said.

He said plans to rebuild the hall began in 2016 and the Perak Menteri Besar at the time championed the need to rebuild the hall, eventually leading to the approval of the Federal Government allocation.

Saarani said the completion of the project reflected the continuity of governance and the close cooperation between the Federal Government and the state government.

He added that the name of the hall served as a reminder that independence is a trust that must continue to be safeguarded and imbued with values that uphold the dignity of society.

“May this hall become a place where knowledge is nurtured, understanding is strengthened, the spirit of consensus flourishes, and various initiatives that benefit the people and the state continue to grow,” he said.

He said the opening ceremony was even more meaningful as it was held in conjunction with the silver jubilee celebration of the Manjung Municipal Council, which was established as the district council on Jan 1, 1980, before being upgraded to a municipal council on Aug 1, 2001. — Bernama