KUALA TERENGGANU: The Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin wants the state government to draw-up and implement effective and comprehensive strategies to revive the state's economy which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sultan Mizan said he hoped the state's budget for the coming years would focus on the state's economic growth and recovery.

"Development projects need to be planned carefully to ensure the sustainability of economic growth and long-term needs.

"All expenditures made on one-off basis should be reviewed based on the current financial position and commitment of the state government," he said when opening the Fourth Term of the 14th State Assembly at Wisma Darul Iman, here today.

The text of Sultan Mizan's speech was read out by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

Sultan Mizan said the state government should also pay serious attention on efforts to develop the agricultural sector to a higher level and hoped that programmes and incentives for farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen could be continued with improvements made.

The state government, he said, should also continue to help those under the small and medium industry entrepreneurs (SMEs), like providing them with financial support and business premises facilities so that they could continue to do business.

"The SME is among the sectors affected by the movement control. Many night market and farmers' market traders, restaurant operators and others have lost their source of income, many are forced to close business and lost their jobs," he added.

Sultan Mizan advised the state government, with the collaboration of various state and federal government agencies, such as the Terengganu State Economic Development Corporation, Terengganu Incorporated Sdn Bhd and the Terengganu State Heritage Trust Board (LTAWNT), to attract new investments with the collaboration of various state and federal government agencies such as the Terengganu State Economic Development Corporation (Pmint); Terengganu Incorporated Sdn Bhd (Terengganu Inc); and Lembaga Tabung Amanah Warisan Negeri Terengganu to attract new investments.

In another development, Sultan Mizan said he hoped the management of the COVID-19 vaccination in Terengganu could be intensified so that the state could achieve the herd immunity by end of the year, or before the Northeast Monsoon season hit the state.

He said those who have not registered for the COVID-19 vaccination to do so through the MySejahtera application, registration counters at government and private health facilities and others set by the government.

"I also hope that stricter action is taken to ensure that the SOPs set by the National Security Council (MKN) and the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) are complied with so that the spread of new cases can be overcome in an open economic sector," he added.

-- BERNAMA