RM83.2 million for Hardcore Poor Housing Project

Ramlon (fourth right) showing Mahdzir his new house.

KOTA MARUDU (Oct 23): The federal government has allocated RM83.2 million for Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT) in Sabah this year, said Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said the allocation involved 520 new PPRT houses and 2,818 repairing projects.

“The Rural Development Ministry is focusing on giving proper housing to the poor who are unable to build their own place.
“However, we are also looking at those who need assistance in repairing works.

“In Sabah, we already completed several projects, and as for me PPRT is one of my priorities in my Key Performance Index (KPI) as a minister in charge,” he said to reporters after handing over keys to PPRT recipients at Kampung Tanjung Batu here.

One of the house owners, Masri Bakri, 45, said having his own house after seven applications is like a dream come true.

The fisherman and his wife Masritah Mohd Yassin, who have been living with his in-law with their four children since 2003, appreciated the government aid, especially with three comfortable rooms and a bathroom.

Another recipient, Ramlon Maisin, 51, also considered the house as comfortable and safe.

“I can’t express how thankful I am with this house.

“It was a special home for me and my wife and our five children,” he added.

Mahdzir who also visited Kampung Pulau Penampang in Kota Kinabalu on October 17 during his three-day visit to Sabah, said his ministry (KPLB) has allocated RM1.2 billion for rural development projects in Sabah this year.

He said the allocation was provided for the construction of roads, electricity and water supply in rural areas.

He said rural roads, village roads, electricity and water supply were important to Sabah and these projects incurred high costs.
“For 2021, the construction of village roads in Sabah alone costs RM150 million.

“Overall, KPLB has allocated RM1.2 billion to Sabah this year for rural road, electricity and water supply developments,” he said.

Mahdzir had inspected the road projects at Kg Tombovo, Putatan, Kampung Pulau Penampang and Kampung Ratau, Menggatal, where the existing roads were upgraded to concrete roads.

He also attended a briefing by the KPLB Sabah office on the projects this year and plans for the following year.

Mahdzir said some KPLB projects were delayed up to five months as contractors were not allowed to enter work sites due to the Covid-19 pandemic and movement control order (MCO) period.

Nevertheless, he said the ministry’s management had discussed with many of its contractors and given them time to complete the projects.

When asked to comment on Sabah’s development lagging behind other states in Malaysia, he said the vast land area in Sabah required long stretches of road, which took time in terms of budget.

He said implementing the development projects all at once in a year would incur a humongous budget.

However, Mahdzir assured that the government has never stopped providing infrastructure for the people, particularly rural roads, electricity and water supply.

“Every year, a certain amount of allocation is provided to Sabah for rural development.

“We also have budget for solar power for villages that do not have direct access to electricity supply.”

In fact, he said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had pledged to give Sabah priority under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

“Sabah is among the states allocated the largest amount of budget,” he added.

 

Mahdzir (second left) presents a certificate to a Quick Win participant.

Quick Win participants receive baking equipment

PUTATAN (Oct 23): Thirty participants of Quick Win organized by the Sabah Community Development Department (KEMAS) have received aid kits in the form of baking equipment such as electrical ovens, food mixers and steel tables.

The equipment were handed over to the recipients by Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid in a ceremony at Dewan Kampung Petagas here on October 17.

The aid kit was based on a course the participants joined where they were each provided with a maximum of RM4,000 worth of equipment assistance.

This included learning materials throughout the duration of the course and training costs involving three days of face-to-face lessons or five days of online class.

Mahdzi said the selection of Quick Win KEMAS participants was based on several criteria, including the B40 group, individuals who have started small business and those who displayed their interest in expansion.

“The Rural Development Ministry through KEMAS strives to find ways to increase the income of rural communities, especially those who are willing to seek new opportunities to operate small, home-based businesses such as baking cakes, pastries and traditional kuih-muih,” he said in a press statement.

KEMAS has implemented the Quick Win programme since 2017.
As of 2020, the programme has recorded 16,293 participants.
Among the most popular programmes was cooking which involved 4,416 participants.

KEMAS Skills Education Programme has approved development allocation aimed at providing trainings and courses in the five main fields, namely cooking, sewing, grooming, handicrafts and family wellness education.

This year, KEMAS has received an allocation of RM13.2 million to implement the skills programmes.

Of the sum, RM2.74 million is allotted for the Quick Win programme.

“Although our country is facing the Covid-19 pandemic, it has not deterred KEMAS from holding online courses as an alternative to ensure KEMAS continues to support rural communities and achieves the target of benefitting 760 participants from the Quick Win programme,” Mahdzir said.

In Sabah, a total of 1,672 individuals have received assistance from Quick Win since 2017 to 2021, which involved an allocation of RM2.49 million.

Quick Win skills courses targets B40 youths, KEMAS skills class participants, single mothers, housewives and disabled people (OKU).

“It is hoped that the course will provide exposure to participants who have the potential and will to enhance their income in the skills sector and become successful rural entrepreneurs.”

 

Mahdzir (third left) visiting Pitas water treatment plant which is expected to be completed next year 2022.

Pitas second water treatment plant ready next year

KOTA MARUDU (Oct 23): Construction of the second Pitas water treatment plant (LRA) costing RM37.8 million ringgit is expected to be completed in November next year, benefiting 30 villages in the district.

Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the plant with a capacity of treating 10 million litres of water per day could overcome the villagers’ problem of not having clean water supply all this while.

He said the water treatment plant, now under construction, would be an addition to the existing plant with a capacity of treating only four million litres of water per day, and it is a first-phase project to provide clean water to residents in the area.

“Hence, Pitas will be supplying 14 million litres of clean water per day to the residents. But I know that one more village area is without clean water supply.

“As such, (a water treatment plant) able to provide at least 10 million litres per day is needed in the future.

“The first phase of the Pitas second water treatment plant is expected to be ready in 2022 and there will be phase two and phase three later on.”

He said this when met by reporters after visiting recipients of the Bina Baru Housing Programme for the Poorest People (PPRT) in Kampung Tanjung Batu, here, on October 18.

Earlier, Mahdzir visited the second Pitas LRA site and attended a briefing on the rural water supply and road projects here as part of this three-day working visit to Sabah.

Also present was Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin who is also the state’s Works Minister.

Meanwhile, Mahdzir proposed the setting up of a special committee to enhance the role of the Rural Development Ministry together with the Environment and Water Ministry (KASA) to resolve the issue of water supply to the rural areas.

“This includes upgrading of the rural water supply infrastructure covering the water treatment plants and distribution system, as well as replacing the old pipes.

“There is an allocation for reticulation under the ministry and also under KASA.

“Thus, there is a need for collaboration (between both ministries) as the objective is the same, to help the rural folk (receive clean water supply),” he said.

 

Mahdzir looking at the rubber processing during a visit to the Sabah Rubber Industry Board factory in Tamparuli.

Raise scrap rubber price to prevent smallholders switching to other crops

TAMPARULI (Oct 23): Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid reiterated his call to increase the floor price of scrap rubber from the current RM2.50 to RM3.50 to allow smallholders to enjoy better income.

This is also another way to prevent smallholders from switching to other commodity crops with higher prices, such as palm oil.

“When there is a price comparison between rubber and palm oil, many smallholders are switching to the higher price. That is why I support any proposal to increase the floor price.

“With this price adjustment, we will be able to help smallholders in Malaysia, including about 80,000 in Sabah,” he said when visiting one of Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS) factories here on October 19.

Also present during the visit were Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, Deputy Rural Development Minister 1 Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad and Secretary-General Datuk Ramlan Harun.

Recently, the media reported that the government was asked to consider increasing the scrap rubber price to RM3.50 from January next year to help more rubber tappers to get out of poverty.

Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) chairman Datuk Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif was quoted as saying that the present floor price of scrap rubber, which is RM2.50 per kg, was far lower than oil palm, which could fetch up to RM1,100 per tonne.

Mahdzir added if more rubber smallholders started to plant oil palm, the country will be losing out more rubber producers.

On LIGS, he said the state government has three rubber processing factories located here, Tenom and Beaufort.

The factory here has about 300 employers with the capacity of processing 150 tonnes of rubber per day or 50,000 per year.

Apart from domestic market, products from this factory are exported abroad mostly to China, and also South Africa, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina and Taiwan.

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