IPOH (June 19): The Perak Government never gave approval to sell the land where the Taiping Airport, better known as the Taiping Aerodrome, is located, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

He said part of the land was handed over by the previous (Barisan Nasional) State Government to Perbadanan Menteri Besar Perak (MB Inc) for development but the parcel was returned to the current Pakatan Harapan Government.

"Today, I can confirm that it never happened (sale of the land). In fact, at today’s State Executive Council meeting, we proposed that the Land and Mines Department should gazette the area as a Perak heritage site,” he told reporters after presenting allocations to partially-aided Government schools in Perak, here today.

MB Inc on May 1 had denied a report by a portal that the Perak  Government planned to hand over the historical site to a developer for a mixed development project.

Ahmad Faizal also said the State Government planned to gazette the Taiping Lake Gardens and Bukit Larut as a Royal Lake Gardens and that the proposal would be submitted to Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah for His Highness’ consent.

On another matter, the Menteri Besar urged the Education Ministry to speed up filling of the vacancy for State education director as the post had been vacant for far too long.