Rural Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said that the decision was finalised and agreed on in the Cabinet meeting on Nov 19. – Bernama photo
MIRI (Nov 25): Payment of allowances to Sarawak Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK)’s secretaries and members, for handling and attending meetings, will be implemented from January 2022, said Rural Development Minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
He said that the decision was finalised and agreed on in the Cabinet meeting on Nov 19.
For that purpose, he said that an allocation of more than RM44 million a year was provided for payments for state JKKK’s 5,976 secretaries and 65,736 members, which covers the handling and attendance of the meetings.
“The provision of allocations for these allowances is seen to further strengthen the machinery at the grassroots level and strengthen cooperation between the Sarawak and federal governments, especially in the implementation of rural development programmes involving the role of JKKK,” he said.
He said this at the opening ceremony of the Rural Water Supply (BALB) project for the Marudi district at the Ridab Longhouse, Sungai Pasir, about 80km from here today.
The ceremony was officiated by Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, and was also attended by Deputy Rural Development Minister II, Datuk Hasbi Habibollah.
On the BALB project, Mahdzir said that his ministry had spent an allocation of RM38.5 million, which included the construction of a booster pump station, a suction tank with a capacity of 1.17 million litres, a water storage tank with a capacity of 2.76 million litres and the installation of a new 71-km pipeline.
He said that the project was fully completed on Sept 19 with the cooperation of the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) as the implementing agency, and benefited about 8,000 consumers in 34 villages in Marudi.
“This project is one of the projects implemented during the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), which will provide clean and treated water supply to villages along the road from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Telang Usan to Kampung Lubok Nibong, here,” he said.
Apart from the BALB project, Mahdzir said that a total of three rural electricity projects were approved for the Marudi and Telang Usan areas, involving alternative electricity supply projects, namely hybrid solar, estimated to cost RM282 million. – Bernama