Rural and Regional Development Ministry drawing up plan to boost role

PUTRAJAYA: The Rural and Regional Development Ministry is drawing up a transformation plan to boost its role in raising the living standard of the rural community, in keeping with the changing times.

Its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix) said the plan being drawn up by the heads of departments, divisions and agencies under the ministry, would be announced when he reached his 100 days in helming the ministry.

He said among the areas to be focused on would be Risda's role in increasing the income of smallholders and revamping the syllabi of the kindergartens and childcare centres run by the Community Development Department (Kemas).

"In the past, what were done by the ministry were suitable then. Even if we feel that it is already complete in terms of planning, it does not mean that changes cannot be made."

He said this to reporters after attending the ministry's monthly assembly and launching its 'Fly the Jalur Gemilang' campaign.

Ismail Sabri was appointed as Rural and Regional Development Minister on July 28, replacing Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal who was dropped from the new cabinet line-up.

He said he entrusted the department, division and agency heads to put forward the proposals for improvement before these would be fine-tuned, as they were more knowledgeable of the needs and the transformation required.

Earlier, in his speech at the assembly, Ismail Sabri urged the ministry's officers and staff to work as a team and play their role together in helping to strengthen the ruling government. – Bernama