- The rural transformation agenda in the state will be intensified in the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), said Rural Development Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang.
Various programmes and projects had been planned and implemented by the government to increase the socio-economy status of the rural folks, in line with the nation’s mission to achieve a developed and high nation status by the year 2020.
“My ministry will ensure the rural transformation process be implemented systematically and effectively. Efforts to streamline mechanism, especially the approach to obtain allocation from the federal government as well as implementation and monitoring of projects will be given priority.
“A high-level committee between my ministry and Rural and Regional Development Ministry will be established to coordinate and monitor the rural projects implementation in the state,” he said in his ministerial winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting on Dec 16.
- The Department of Agriculture (DOA) will undergo reorganisation with effect from Jan 1, 2016.
“The key features of the new DOA involve firstly, the revamping of the administrative set-up at the headquarters comprising three sectors namely commercialisation sector, modernisation sector, and service management sector,” said Jabu, who is also Agriculture Modernisation Minister.
“Secondly, it also involves the establishment of three regional offices namely southern region to be based in Betong; central region to be based in Sibu; and north region to be based in Miri.”
Jabu pointed out that the establishment of the new set-up was crucial in order to increase efficiency in the core function of modernisation and commercialisation in a sustainable manner and to reach out further into the rural areas.
- Sarawak made a breakthrough in meeting Singapore’s Agriculture and Veterinary Authority stringent biosecurity and Sanitary and Phytosanitary requirements for the export of pork.
“The first container was shipped out to Singapore on Feb 2, 2015 with a total nett weight of about 12 metric tonnes. Since then, a total of 25 containers with total nett weight of 413 metric tonnes had been exported to the country,” said Jabu.
According to him, the export is ongoing with around 60 metric tonnes targeted per month.