Various programs to reduce poor people in rural areas
KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Rural Development Sabah (KPLBS) has been making efforts to reduce the number of poor people in rural areas.
Its assistant minister, Datuk Harun bin Durabi, said various programs have been planned by the ministry such as the Rural Entrepreneur Development Program, which saw five Community Skills Centres being built as entrepreneurship and training centers to help improve the skills of the poor by providing practical skills and training courses. He also mentioned the construction of eight Rural Entrepreneurship Centers (PKD) which are equipped with workshop buildings and machinery tools aimed at providing opportunities to entrepreneurs to increase production and expand their businesses. For example, some workshops held at PKD Kudat include cosmetics and cake processing, wet noodle and chocolate making, and canting batik workshops.
“KPLBS has also introduced an agricultural-based entrepreneurship program and a swiftlet breeding program according to the needs and suitability of the district. Examples of these include the swiftleft breeding program in Pitas and Banggi sub-district, as well as the Sacha Inchi Planting Program in the Tamparuli and Kiulu subdistrict. All our entrepreneurship programs that have been and are being implemented are aimed at helping the poor and hardcorepoor improve their living standards, socio-economics and income,” he said.
Harun said this when responding to a question by Liawan assemblyman Datuk Anwar Ayuub @ Annuar Ayub during question time in the State Legislative Assembly sitting here on Monday.
He added that his ministry also had several other programs planned to help people get out of poverty such as the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) program, the Rumah Sejahtera Rakyat Sabah (RSRS) program, 1Azam program, Aktiviti Ekonomi Tambahan Program (AET), Mini Estet Sejahtera (MESEJ) program, Projek Pembangunan Kecil (PPK) program, Bekalan Air Luar Bandar Alternatif (BALBA) program, and the Bekalan Elektrik Luar Bandar Alternatif (BALBA) program.