RTCs doing great job in prospering rural communities — PM

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Najib signing a plaque to launch the Rural Transformation Centres (RTC) at Napoh while Mukhriz (left) and Mohd Shafie look on. — Bernama photo

JITRA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Rural Transformation Centres or RTCs are doing a great job in helping rural communities to prosper.

He said the situation had caused many to scramble for business lots at RTCs.

“The government will continue to find ways on how RTCs can help raise the income of rural residents, including linking with Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs),” said the Prime Minister when opening the Napoh RTC near here yesterday.

Najib said goods, which are sold cheaper at RTCs, would also be marketed at UTCs when the two were successfully linked.

He said the government would continue to implement training programmes for rural residents to enhance their skills including those involved in agro-business to become modern farmers or operate small businesses.

He said the Che Yeh RTC in Kota Bharu was the biggest performer with sales exceeding RM214.9 million and more than 2.1 million visitors since it was launched in 2012.

Currently there are 634 traders and entrepreneurs operating in the RTC compared with 378 people at the end of 2011, said Najib.

The Prime Minister said he was confident RTC Napoh would also be successful because of its strategic location.

Besides that, RTC Napoh, which is located about 15 kilometres from the Malaysia/Thai border at Bukit Kayu Hitam, would also be able to draw tourists from Thailand, he said.

Najib said the uniqueness of RTCs was that the prices of goods were reasonable and so far there were no complaints lodged by consumers on them with the authorities. The Prime Minister said the RTC concept introduced under the National Blue Ocean Strategy did not mean infrastructure development in the rural areas was marginalised.

He said from 2010 to 2013, 309,202 houses were provided with water supply under the Rural Water Supply Programme (BALB) while another 115,096 houses obtained electricity supply under the BELB programme.

Besides that, 4,068.39 kilometres of rural roads were built and repaired through the Rural Road Programme (JALB) and 61,062 houses were built and repaired under the House Assistance Programme (PBR), said Najib.

The Napoh RTC located along the North-South Expressway (north-bound), has 44 permanent business lots, offices of nine government agencies and 18 exhibition kiosks as well as small and medium sized workshops operating at the 10-acre site. It is managed by Kedah Regional Development Authority (KEDA).

At the ceremony, Najib also presented Village Security and Developement Committee (JKKK) appointment letters to district officers as well as contributions to several non-governmental organisations.

More than 5,000 people turned up at the RTC opening ceremony including Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, Regional and Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom. — Bernama