IPOH, May 13 ― Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the state welcomes any proposals from developers keen to develop the land where the mentri besar's current official residence stands.
In exchange, all the developer has to do is build 14 new houses for state officials.
Ahmad Faizal said the new houses would be for the mentri besar, State Secretary, State Legal Adviser, State Finance Officer and members of the state exco.
“The land for this has been allocated many years ago during the previous administration,” he told reporters here.
Ahmad Faizal also said the proposed project would also include a common hall for the mentri besar as well as state functions.
He said several companies have shown interest in the proposed project, but added that there was no rush to proceed.
“The interested parties should build the 14 houses first so state officials can move into the new homes before they develop that piece of land,” he said, without confirming where the allocated land is located.
“We believe this is a good plan and we would not suffer any losses as we are letting go one house and getting 14 new houses instead.
“The state will also hold a certain percentage of the gross development value and we would not lose the land either,” he said.
Ahmad Faizal also pointed out that even if the plan is carried out, he may or may not move into the new residence.
“People are talking that I want to move into a new house after I became the mentri besar, but by the time these houses are complete there is no assurance I would still be the mentri besar.
“What I'm doing now is not for me, but for the future mentri besar to come,” he said.
Last August, Ahmad Faizal confirmed that the current official residence is for sale following the ongoing high-rise development surrounding the 5.3-hectare property, which made it unsuitable for a mentri besar to live there.
He is currently staying at the official residence of the State Secretary which is located further down the same road.
The official residence of the Perak mentri besar on Jalan Raja Dihilir was built in 1962. It was demolished in 1967 and rebuilt during Ramli Ngah Talib’s tenure as the eighth mentri besar.
Malay Mail understands the land on which the official residence is situated has a market value of RM80 million.
