Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad speaks to members of the media during a press conference in Tanjung Tualang, Batu Gajah December 9, 2021. — Picture by Farhan Najib
IPOH, Dec 17 — The Perak government did not interfere in the business affairs of Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) Theme Park in Meru Raya here, which closed down last January, as it was within the purview of PCB Development Sdn Bhd (PCBD).
In fact, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the state government did not have a locus standi to interfere in the affairs of the company, which is a subsidiary of Perak Corporation Berhad (PCB).
“Since 2019, I have been bombarded with allegations that the state government has spent RM600 million on the MAPS project.
“The Perak government has never funded this project. Instead, it was funded by PCBD through loans from several financial institutions. Therefore, the state government did not incur losses or debts as alleged.
“As Mentri Besar, I would like to emphasise once again today that the state government is not involved in any (MAPS-related) debt and is not responsible to pay the debt,” he said when winding up the debate at the State Assembly sitting here today.
Saarani said although the state government, through the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) had a 56 per cent stake in PCB, all business matters of MAPS were done under PCBD which made its own business decisions.
“The state government cannot make any decision because it is not a state government’s investment and we do not guarantee any loan debt made by PCBD, so profit and loss is a matter for the company to resolve.
“As the Mentri Besar who chairs PKNP, of course, I take into account the 56 per cent stake in the PCB, (where) I will do my best to facilitate whatever help we can offer so that this company can settle the debt incurred on its own account,” he said.
MAPS, which was developed at a cost of hundreds of millions of ringgit and opened in June 2017, was supposed to be the main tourist attraction in Perak but due to financial problems, the theme park was closed last January. — Bernama