By P. Chandra Sagaran
The Ipoh Sentral project hopes to put the city on the fast track of development on par with other major cities in the country.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim together with Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook jointly officiated the ground breaking ceremony for the Ipoh Sentral Development Project opposite the historic Ipoh Railway Station here on Aug 16.
Anchored under the Perak Smart City 2030 Green Transport Agenda, Ipoh Sentral is envisioned to transform Ipoh into a modern, sustainable and well – connected transport hub while safeguarding the city’s cultural heritage and strengthening community bonds.
Built on the principles of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) , the project will seamlessly integrate rail services, buses, taxis, e-hailing, pedestrian pathways and cycling lanes within a vibrant, mixed-use urban precinct encouraging walkability, reducing car dependency and supporting a cleaner, lower carbon mobility ecosystem.
A core principle of Ipoh Sentral’s masterplan is its commitment to respecting and enhancing existing places of community worship.
Located on a 26.8 ha site with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM6.25 billion the project would be divided into two phases which will take 20 years to complete.
Phase 1 would see landscape and recreational upgrades, the creation of a public park with a mosque and integration of nearby places of community worship within a harmonious civic zone.
The next phase would consist of mixed-use developments comprising serviced apartments, office spaces, retail outlets, hotels and additional community amenities.
The project is expected to generate between 8,000 – 9,000 jobs during construction and over 10,000 jobs upon completion, driving opportunities across construction, services, logistics and commerce.
It will also enhance Perak’s tourism appeal building on the 10.2 million domestic visitors and 12 percent growth in international arrivals recorded in 2024.
Anwar in his speech at the event said developers should be able to balance progress in line with public needs and of heritage.
Ipoh Sentral Sdn Bhd is a joint venture between the Federal and State Government, bringing together Railway Assets Holding Sdn. Bhd (RAH), wholly owned by the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) under the Federal Government, Silver Smart Sdn. Bhd (SSSB), a subsidiary of the Perak State Secretary Incorporated (SSI) under the State Government and Country Annexe Sdn. Bhd , a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) .
Leveraging MRCB’s proven expertise in TODs such as KL Sentral and Penang Sentral, the partnership aims to deliver a project that balances modern infrastructure with heritage preservation and community wellbeing.