‘COORDINATE GROWTH CORRIDORS EFFECTIVELY’
This ensures nation’s development is balanced, says Zahid
DEPUTY Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants better organisation and coordination in the five major national corridors to ensure the country’s development is balanced.
He said former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had launched the five development corridors — Iskandar Malaysia, Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), East Coast Economic Region (ECER), Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) and Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) — to bridge income gaps.
“The corridors are agencies that coordinate development in every region since it was introduced by Pak Lah (Abdullah).
“Thus, we (the government) want better coordination.
“We hope that these corridors will develop areas that have been left behind in the national development,” he said at the launch of the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) Agropreneur Community Programme here.
Under Abdullah’s leadership, the Iskandar Development Region was launched in 2008, NCER and ECER in 2007, SDC and SCORE in 2008.
These initiatives involve the provision of infrastructure and utilisation of resources in rural areas to boost the socio-economic status of people.
In the 2018 Budget, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had allocated RM1 billion to enhance the five corridors to propel the private sector as a growth engine.
Zahid wanted NCIA to spearhead NCER to continue driving development in the northern region, especially in Bagan Datuk.
Prior to the establishment of NCER, he said, Bagan Datuk was a remote area and marginalised, as the district was not part of the corridor.
“Once Bagan Datuk is included in NCER, many programmes and initiatives have been implemented here that benefit people.”
On the Agropreneur Community Programme, implemented through the National Blue Ocean Strategy approach, Zahid said the programme had produced 200 agropreneurs.
They cultivated chilies using the fertigation method and earned more than RM1,000 a month.
“Some participants are earning more than RM15,000 (per month). The programme proves that people in remote areas like Bagan Datuk can be successful if they are given the opportunity,” Zahid said.
He suggested that the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority establish a contract farming system to assist participants in downstream activities, such as producing chili sauce and powder.
Zahid wanted the 380 people on the waiting list of the programme to be accepted to bring the total number of participants to 580.
“As NCIA deputy chairman, I will monitor this programme to ensure that everyone benefits from it.”
He urged NCIA to implement programmes for those in the Bottom 40 per cent income group, regardless of their race.
“Do not marginalise any race. We must provide opportunities to everyone.”
Meanwhile, Zahid called for greater efforts to foster unity and integration among preschools and primary schools.
He said this at the launch of SJK(C) Yeong Seng’s sports day in Batu 10, Hutan Melintang.