94 bodies get MRP grants from assistant minister
TATAU: A total of RM1,927,000 in minor rural project (MRP) grants were distributed to 94 recipients in Kakus constituency at the district office here yesterday.
The MRP cheques were handed over by Assistant Minister of Native Laws and Customs Datuk John Sikie Tayai in the presence of district officer Barayan Lenya, district police chief DSP Dennis Bunyam and community leaders.
Sikie said the MRP grants were meant for the recipients to upgrade facilities in their villages and longhouses or to finance their development projects that could improve their living standard.
He added that about RM3 million in MRP grants were allocated by the state government for each constituency every year.
“However, for a big area like Tatau, it is always not enough to cater to the needs of over 400 longhouses in the area,” he said.
He advised the recipients to use the money wisely for the good of their organisations and communities.
Apart from the MRP grants, Sikie said various development projects had been and would be implemented in his constituency under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP), with RM5 million allocated every year mainly to build village roads and bridges.
“To e n s u r e smo o t h implementation of RTP projects, the district office will be monitoring the work of the appointed contractors and if they take the quality standard for granted, they would be immediately blacklisted.”
Sikie said this was very important to ensure that development projects that had been planned could be implemented effectively to benefit the people.