MARA UNDER RURAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY

Dr M says he’ll ensure that help is given to the ministry to steer Mara

MAJLIS Amanah Rakyat (Mara) will be placed under the Rural Development Ministry, and not split up between ministries as proposed earlier.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government pledged to provide assistance to ensure that Mara succeeded.

“Because of Mara’s size, (we reckoned) it would not be enough for just one side to manage it. That is why we tried to divide its role among a few ministries.

“Now we have returned it to just one ministry. I hope the Rural Development Ministry is strong enough to shoulder this heavy responsibility.”

Dr Mahathir was speaking at the Congress on the Future of Bumiputeras and the Nation 2018 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.

The session was moderated by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

Present were Dr Mahathir’s wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and other ministers.

Dr Mahathir said he would ensure that sufficient assistance was given to the Rural Development Ministry to help it steer Mara.

“Mara remains close to the hearts of Malays. It was established as the replacement for the Rural Industrial Development Authority (Rida). Rida was set up by the British, focusing on rural issues.

“We then enlarged Mara’s scope to cover education, give out scholarships and establish Mara schools. We also created Universiti Teknologi Mara.”