Retain current gov't to continue enjoying development: Ismail Sabri

SUNGAI PETANI: The government will continue to stress on rural development and the people's well-being if it remains in power, says Rural and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the transformation phase the country went through during the post-independence era clearly showed the government's seriousness in developing infrastructure, education and the economy through the establishment of various agencies, for example, under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKLW).
The minister said through Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), Felda (Federal Land Development Authority), Risda (Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority) and Felcra (Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority), for instance, rural development could be carried out in a more systematic manner, which helped improve the people's socio-economy.
He said this was proven by, among others, the government, through Mara, spending RM2.2 billion on sponsoring students for studies locally and abroad each year, while the Kemas kindergartens had taught some five million pupils to date.
There were 115,637 students pursuing further studies under Mara's sponsorship and some 220,000 Tabika Kemas pupils, this year, he added.
Ismail Sabri was speaking at the "Moh Ngeteh Merdeka KKLW 2017" programme at the Mara Skills Training Institute (IKM), here, with Mara director-general Datuk Azhar Abdul Manaf and about 2,000 IKM students also present.
From the economic aspect, he said Mara had so far produced one million successful entrepreneurs and Felcra having about 120,000 participants, while there were also 265,000 village security and development committees across the country currently.
About one million members of the KKLW community and the public participated in the "Moh Ngeteh Merdeka KKLW 2017" programme held simultaneously throughout the country today.
This programme, a culmination of the National Day celebrations this year, was aimed at instilling patriotism among the people, for them to always remember and appreciate the contributions and sacrifices of past leaders in fighting for the country's independence. — Bernama