The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) is committed to implementing initiatives to eradicate hardcore poverty in rural areas this year through four main programmes in an effort to achieve the aspirations under the MADANI Economy framework.
The four programmes are the Income Enhancement Programme (PPP); Skills and Career Training Programme (PLKK); Sustainable Rural Development Programme and Integrated Village Economic Development Project (PROSPEK).
Its deputy minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said KKDW was working with various parties including the private sector to ensure that the programmes implemented had a positive impact on the participants involved.
"Besides using new methods and technology in implementing the programmes that have been planned, we will also use the mentor-mentee method such as the expertise of certain companies to ensure that the programmes we create can be implemented," she said.
Speaking to the media after officiating the launch of the ministry’s National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang ceremony as well as its monthly assembly here today, Rubiah said KKDW placed importance on increasing the country's economic competitiveness without neglecting the lives and well-being of the people, especially in rural areas.
Commenting on the programmes being implemented, she said that the PPP targeted 1,200 participants with an allocation of RM12 million in which the participants could increase their income by 30 per cent.
“PLKK is targeting 1,900 participants with an allocation of RM10 million where participants who complete the training will get a job or run their own economic activities,” she said.
The Rural Sustainable Development programme, meanwhile, targeted the involvement of 10 village cooperatives with an allocation of RM12.1 million in which the selected villages would be able to generate income and create many job opportunities within a year, she said.
"PROSPEK is targeting 700 participants with an allocation of RM23.8 million aimed at increasing the participants' income through economic assistance," she said.
In a separate development, Rubiah said a total of 100 Kindergartens (Tabika) under the Community Development Department (Kemas) had implemented the Pre-Tahfiz Kindergarten Programme starting this month.
She said the programme was intended to add value to the Islamic Education Appreciation Programme (PPI) module which gave special emphasis and focus on two aspects, namely learning Islamic worship and the study of the Quran.
"The syllabus is very important in our efforts to ensure that we can form a MADANI community at an early stage because it contains the criteria of compassion, which we need to cultivate at a young age.
"We will also expose the students to the Quran, and if the students can master 10 to 20 surahs in Juz 30, it is sufficient in preparation for Year One," she said adding that next year, around 4,000 Tabika Kemas were targeted to implement the Pre-Tahfiz Kindergarten Programme.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency