Kuala Terengganu: The Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, has called on civil servants in the state to enhance their efficiency and strengthen administration and governance to ensure sustainable progress and increased state revenue.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sultan Mizan emphasized that competent, knowledgeable, and highly skilled officers are crucial for performing duties effectively. This includes devising revenue collection strategies, managing state resources optimally, and ensuring strict and fair enforcement of the law. He highlighted the importance of mastering strategic management, corporate governance, international finance, effective communication, and fiscal policies to strengthen officers’ capabilities.
Sultan Mizan noted that officers with calibre could efficiently fulfill their responsibilities and identify new opportunities to generate state revenue. They are also capable of reducing leakages, curbing wastage, and ensuring prudent, transparent, and integrity-driven management of public resources. His remarks came during the royal address at the Investiture Ceremony held in conjunction with the 63rd Birthday Celebration of the Sultan of Terengganu at Istana Syarqiyyah.
In attendance were the Sultanah of Terengganu, Sultanah Nur Zahirah; the Yang Di-Pertuan Muda of Terengganu, Tengku Muhammad Ismail Sultan Mizan; the Tengku Setia Mahkota Raja, Tengku Muhammad Mua’az; and the Tengku Puteri Daulath Raja, Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra’.
Sultan Mizan also expressed concern over coastal erosion in Terengganu, which affects the landscape and the country’s sovereign boundaries, including the Exclusive Economic Zone. He warned that unchecked coastal erosion could alter maritime boundaries, impacting local fishermen’s economy and the state’s rights to marine resources. He stressed the need for serious attention to mitigate and conserve the coastline to ensure the sustainability of natural resources, the well-being of coastal communities, and the state’s sovereignty.
He expressed hope that erosion control measures by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), initiated in 2023, would address the worsening erosion problem.
In another development, Sultan Mizan urged the state government to take more proactive and comprehensive measures to ensure greater participation of people from Terengganu in the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which has now reached 91 percent completion.