IPOH: The state government should consider selling the loss-making Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) theme park to private investors, says state DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming.

He said by doing so the current state government need not carry the baggage any more, as it is a heavy responsibility at the moment.

Nga said the theme park should be sold using an open tender system to companies involved in this business.

“MAPS, set up under the Perak Corporation Berhad (PCB) by the previous Barisan Nasional government, has suffered RM474mil in losses even before its official opening.

“The state government should not be running a business, and to prevent further losses, it is best the theme park is sold,” he told a press conference on the sidelines of the state assembly sitting here on Monday (Dec 3).

The new state government has been critical of the previous administration, alleging that PCB, a subsidiary of state agency Perak State Development Corp, has been negligent by racking up a massive debt.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu had said before that the state government would not shut down MAPS as efforts were being taken to revive it.

Nga, who is also Aulong assemblyman, said the private sector had the expertise to run such parks, and that the state government should not get involved in business.

“The Prime Minister has repeatedly been saying that the government must not get involved in business but facilitate investments instead.

“I am aware of the current state government’s efforts to ‘save’ MAPS, with interesting packages, discounts and promotions, but I still strongly feel that the park must be sold,” he added.

Nga said when the theme park is run by a private company, the state government will receive revenue as well.