Kuala lumpur: The Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) is seeking more balanced and strategic allocations under Budget 2027 to spur development in less-developed areas of the northern region and support growth in sectors beyond manufacturing. According to BERNAMA News Agency, Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) chief executive Datuk Mohamad Haris Kader Sultan emphasized that Budget 2027 should give greater attention to less-developed areas while ensuring development in the northern region remains balanced and strategic. "We hope that the Budget 2027 allocations will be directed towards the northern regions, particularly the less developed areas. It is important to have fair, balanced, and strategic funding for these parts of the north," he stated during a media briefing on the NCER Strategic Development Plan. Mohamad Haris highlighted that NCER's expectations align with its NCER Strategic Development Plan 2026-2030, viewing Budget 2027 as an opportunity to further support development in th e northern region. He pointed out that manufacturing continues to dominate the region with expected growth, and therefore, attention should also be directed towards other sectors, particularly tourism and agriculture, in the upcoming budget. "We hope that besides manufacturing, the tourism and agriculture sectors should also be given attention in the northern region. The focus on these sectors is expected to complement the region's existing manufacturing base while ensuring that development extends to areas that are less developed," he added. Earlier, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir launched the NCER 2026-2030 Strategic Development Plan. The plan aims to realize a cumulative investment of RM470 billion by 2030 in the northern region, with 70 per cent of it contributed by key sectors such as electrical and electronics, automotive, high-value tourism, and modern agriculture. This target is RM126.2 billion higher than the RM343.8 billion under the previous NCER development plan. The new plan also a ims to increase the gross domestic product of the northern region to RM369 billion, create 310,000 job opportunities including 45 per cent high-skilled jobs, and raise the median household income to RM7,500. Budget 2027, scheduled to be tabled on Oct 9, is the fifth MADANI Budget and seeks to build on the gains of the Economy MADANI framework to carry Malaysia forward. As the second budget under the 13th Malaysia Plan, it is guided by three priorities: Raising the Ceiling, Raising the Floor, and Driving Reform in Governance.