Confirming the matter, menteri besar Saarani Mohamad said the construction of the highway was necessary to facilitate export logistics services for Lumut Maritime Industrial City (LuMIC) when the High Technology Automotive Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim begins operation.

“If the products produced at LuMIC are sent to Port Klang (in Selangor), it will create further congestion. That’s why we want to empower Lumut Port.

“We want this highway project to be built at the same time as the AHTV development so that once the factories are operational, the products can be sent directly through the new highway,” he said.

He told reporters this after launching a 50MW solar power plant and handing over Perak Sejahtera housing loan offer letters to 30 squatter residents at the Sungai Kerian reserve here.

Saarani said the registration of the proposed highway project by the finance ministry follows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent visit to Perak.

“We have listed 10 things to be implemented in this state for consideration at the federal level.

“We understand that the finance ministry has registered the proposed highway as a priority project and the economic planning unit will study its implementation,” he said.