Perak

Perak's economic history is a case study in resource depletion and reinvention. The state dominated global tin production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—by 1979, Malaysia produced 31% of world output, largely from Perak's Kinta Valley. Chinese immigrants built the mines; British capital extracted the profits; the tin funded colonial administration across Malaya.

The mid-1980s tin crash triggered economic collapse. Global prices fell 70% between 1985-1986 as new deposits flooded markets and demand declined. Perak, heavily dependent on a single commodity, faced devastation. The state government pivoted toward manufacturing, deliberately diversifying into electronics, automotive, and machinery production.

By 2024, Perak contributed RM86.2 billion to national GDP (5.2% of total) with 4.4% growth. Services now drive 63% of state GDP, followed by manufacturing at 19.4%. The state secured RM8.7 billion in approved investments in 2024, generating over 4,200 potential jobs. Emerging as one of Malaysia's most promising industrial frontiers, Perak benefits from investor-friendly policies, available industrial land, and improved connectivity via the West Coast Expressway.

The LuMIC maritime logistics hub represents Perak's next evolutionary phase—RM72 billion in projected investment over 25 years, with infrastructure beginning 2026 and operations targeted for 2030. The biological pattern is clear: resource-extraction economies must metamorphose or die. Perak survived by substituting manufacturing activity for depleted mineral wealth.