Bagan Datoh will be spelt Bagan Datuk

IPOH: Bagan Datuk, the new spelling for Bagan Datoh, will begin to be used at the official declaration of the new district by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, on Jan 9.

Perak State Secretary Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan said yesterday the decision on the spelling was made at the meeting of the State Executive Council on Nov 22.

“Government departments and agencies will have to use the new spelling in all official matters,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

Abdul Puhat said the historic declaration would take place at the hall of Sekolah Menengah Sains in Bagan Datoh in the presence of about 15,000 people from the district.

Bagan Datoh was officially gazetted as the 12th district of Perak on June 15 this year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, at the Aidilfitri Malaysia Open House 2016 here in July, announced that Bagan Datoh had been upgraded to a district in an agreement between the Perak and federal governments.

Meanwhile, more than 50 buses will ferry villagers around here to the declaration of Bagan Datoh as a new district by Sultan Nazrin.

Bagan Datoh district officer Datuk Hamzah Hussin said all preparations for the event had started several months ago and progressing smoothly.

“The buses will ferry residents to the site of the declaration at Sekolah Menengah Sains Bagan Datoh. About 10,000 people including residents of surrounding districts are expected to attend,” he told a media briefing about the declaration ceremony here yesterday.

Hamzah said the declaration ceremony by Sultan Nazrin would start at 10am and the dignitaries would include Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also Bagan Datoh Member of Parliament and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

Bagan Datoh was officially gazetted as the 12th administrative district in Perak via a government gazette on June 15.

In addition, Hamzah said more than RM1 billion had been allocated by the federal and state governments to develop Bagan Datoh starting this year.

He said the amount encompassed several main constructions which Ahmad Zahid himself had announced including the Bagan Datoh-Sejagop Bridge; Mara Junior Science College (MRSM), polytechnic, hospital and District Police headquarters.

“We will also develop a new area in Rungkup here to be turned into a district administrative centre and known as Bagan Datoh Water City,” he said.

He said Bagan Datoh Water City would be developed on a 388.23 ha site at the Rungkup Felcra involving 12 development projects including a Felcra housing project and People’s Housing Project (PPR).

Bagan Datoh with an area of 94,969.892 ha, has a population of 70,300 and comprise three parliamentary constituencies, namely Bagan Datoh, Teluk Intan and Pasir Salak. - Bernama