{
  "id": 20123803,
  "title": "Fifth time lucky? No, fifth surplus in a row for Perak, says MB Saarani",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/fifth-time-lucky-no-fifth-surplus-in-a-row-for-perak-says-mb-saarani",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-15T06:06:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/11/15/fifth-time-lucky-no-fifth-surplus-in-a-row-for-perak-says-mb-saarani/243347"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Perak government has reported its fifth consecutive financial surplus, with a projected surplus of RM95.5 million for the current fiscal year. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad attributes this steady growth to the prudent management of the state’s treasury, citing a revenue collection of RM1.1 billion, on track to meet the RM1.48 billion target. The positive economic performance, driven by a GDP growth of 5.7% to RM91.5 billion and a surge in the manufacturing sector, has also contributed to a reduction in unemployment from 4.8% to 3.5%, with 1.2 million residents now employed. Saarani emphasized the government's commitment to using the state's wealth for the long-term prosperity of its people, highlighting initiatives such as the 'Pasar Sejahtera Rakyat Perak' programme and the Perak Sejahtera Initiative: People-Centric 2026, aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures and enhancing the state's infrastructure.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}