IPOH: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah's latest book, 'The Globalisation: Perak's Rise, Relative Decline, and Regeneration,' offers both a detailed chronicle of the state's history and a strategic framework for advancing Perak and its people.
In light of this, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad called on all state administrative leaders to explore the wisdom contained in the book.
"For me, this book is not merely a record of history and challenges but also a valuable guide on how we can seize the opportunities of globalisation to elevate the dignity of the state and the people of Perak to greater heights.
"The regeneration efforts emphasised by His Royal Highness require a new approach to fully harness the potential and strengths of this state by prioritising cooperation and unity to optimise the state's increasingly limited resources," he said.
He said this in his speech at the Perak Economic Outlook 2025, themed 'Fostering Ties with Industry Partners' at Hotel Casuarina @ Meru here today (Dec 19).
Also present were Communications Minister Ahmad Fahmi Fadzil and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Senior Advisor Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini.
In the effort to position Perak as a trailblazer and leader in the future economy, shaped according to the state's unique framework and needs, Saarani said innovative methods and models are being explored to enhance both Domestic Direct Investment and Foreign Direct Investment.
"The strategy developed through these methods and models will attract investments, which in turn will open opportunities for collaboration between large companies, foreign investors, and Perak SMEs.
"Empowering SMEs is crucial because SMEs in Perak have significant potential to become catalysts for the state's economic growth," he said.
Saarani said that these steps are crucial to ensure the continuity of the state's economic momentum after the implementation of high-impact projects, including the five key economic transformation projects in Perak.
"The projects are: Automotive High Tech Valley in Tanjong Malim, Lumut Maritime Industrial City in Manjung, Silver Valley Technology Park in Kinta, Perak Halal Industrial Park in Lekir, and Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park," he said.
He further said that, to ensure sustainable economic momentum, Perak must step forward with courage and confidence to compete on the global stage.
"In this rapidly changing era of globalisation, we must be agile in exploring new opportunities, breaking traditional boundaries, and creating unique advantages to remain competitive," he said.
On the event, Saarani said that, entering its second year of organisation, the Perak Economic Outlook serves as a strategic platform for the state to plan and explore out-of-the-box methods through discussions that will be examined by expert forum panels.
"The Perak Economic Outlook is an important platform for us to assess the position of Perak in Malaysia's economic landscape, evaluate current economic performance, and open opportunities to explore future strategies and possibilities.
"Through the findings of the Perak Economic Outlook 2024 discussed last year, we addressed the challenges of intensifying Aged Care Tourism and the Care Economy, also known as the Purple Economy, which requires attention through various social development initiatives," he said.
He added that, based on the input from last year's discussions, the state government has taken steps to develop the Care Economy as part of Perak's economic framework by examining appropriate measures to realise the potential of this sector.
"This effort is in line with the goal of ensuring that the state's economic growth meets the needs and well-being of the people comprehensively, as outlined in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 plan," he said.