Role of village leaders in development highlighted at KL meeting

KUALA LUMPUR: Village leaders and efforts of rural communities play an important role in bringing greater development to such areas, said Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He noted that rural leadership had been acknowledged as one of the main factors in the drive to promote and enhance development in rural areas.
As such, the capacity of rural leadership needed to be developed for leaders at that level to be the main agents of change, he said at the opening of the Fifth ASEAN +3 (China, Japan and South Korea) Leaders Exchange Programme here today.
Nanta said the importance of a strong rural institution resonated throughout ASEAN member countries as this would determine rural communities' action towards bringing their villages to greater development.
"The shared rural scenario in most ASEAN countries delves on three main aspects, namely limited economic resources, insufficient basic infrastructure and high incidence of poverty.
"In this regard, the ASEAN +3 Cooperation Work Plan (2007-2017) has outlined the need to forge closer cooperation in capacity building in the area of rural development and poverty eradication for government officials, experts, practitioner through information and sharing of experience activities, programmes, training, and courses," he said.
The Oct 22-28 programme also involves a field trip to Kampung Hulu Chuchoh in Sepang, Selangor. — Bernama