KUCHING: The Rural Development Ministry is stressing the management of solid waste to avoid environmental contamination for the well-being and safety of the people.
Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said this initiative was part of the effort to encourage the people to be more concerned about the environment, especially in the villages.
“The ministry has identified several villages for a pioneer project on Management of Solid Wastes to encourage the village community to practice separation of garbage, start a garbage collection site, and an efficient sewerage and drainage and irrigation project.
”The solid waste management module must also be included in the Rural Professional Diploma programme which is attended by community leaders, and hopefully after this, with the knowledge and experience obtained from the programme, they can think of activities to encourage the villagers to improve the existing sold waste management,” he said in his speech at the launch of the Sarawak branch of the Village Development Institute (INFRA) campus, here today.
About 140 participants comprising the chairmen and secretaries of the Development and Security Committees from Kuching, Samarahan, Asajaya, Serian, Sri Aman, Pantu and Lingga were awarded the Rural Development Professional Diploma.
The programme is a joint effort by the ministry and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) which will equip the Village Community Management Council and the Village Development and Security Committee with the knowledge and skills to manage community development, especially in the socio-economic and entrepreneurial sector.
The participants began their training on March 4 until today at the Sarawak INFRA campus and was the first batch to be awarded the diploma. — Bernama
