Rubber-based material for certain JKR, rural roads: Najib

PEKAN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak (pix) today disclosed that certain Public Works Department (JKR) and rural roads would be built using rubber-based material.
He noted that the construction cost would comparably be slightly higher than that of normal roads but the government could save cost on maintenance in the long run, besides creating a demand for rubber.
"Today the rubber price has gone up. In a way, it is due to our efforts; although rubber price is determined by the world market, the government can endeavour to dictate a higher market demand for Malaysia's rubber and palm oil.
"So the additional measure that I have decided is for us to build a number of JKR roads and other rural roads using rubber material, never mind that it will cost a bit more.
"But we will save on maintenance costs ... and this will push up the demand for rubber," he said at the presentation of letters of commission to 213 new participants of the Bukit Sijau Felcra cluster land development near here today.
Also present were Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Felcra chairman Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin.
Meanwhile, Najib who is also Pekan Member of Parliament attributed Felcra's success as reflected in its 110,000 participants involving 260,000ha of land, nationwide, compared to 51 years ago, to the government under the Barisan Nasional leadership, apart from Felcra.
"This achievement is demonstrated in the amazement shown by other countries; 60 years ago, the poverty rate exceeded 60 per cent and today since 2014, it is 0.6%.
"This is a track record that other developing cuntries cannot match. For me, the development of the country must be inclusive, urban and rural development must be balanced.
"In some countries, only their capitals are progressing rapidly but their rural areas are still in deplorable state," he said.
Najib said the rural sector would continually receive additional allocation from the government according to the country's means, to ensure that the rural areas would not lag in development.
Meanwhile, Najib also presented the 'Anugerah Khas Anggota Parlimen Pekan' to Tokoh Ibu Bapa Mithali, Jabar Seleman, 67, and his wife Zainab Kasim, 67.
The second generation Sri Makmur Felcra participants were acknowledged as model parents for successfully bringing up nine children who are all university graduates, of whom two studied in Australia. — Bernama