TAMPIN: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) spent RM22.8 million through development allocations under the 12th Malaysia Plan this year to upgrade information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in 191 Rural Community Centres (PKD) nationwide.
Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Rubiah Wang said the allocations included upgrading the Internet access network infrastructure, ICT hardware and teaching aids, thus enabling the PKD to become a virtual community training centre which produces skilled rural communities.
“This PKD has been rebranded as a digitalisation centre. In addition to its five main functions, it is also a centre where all digitalisation-related training is carried out to help residents, especially entrepreneurs, with RM22.8 million spent to upgrade PKD facilities, including 10 in Negeri Sembilan.
“We have seen good response from the local community from this PKD and our main aim of making it an income-generating centre for the rural community will be achieved through training and programmes for them,“ she said.
Rubiah told reporters this after officiating the fourth series of the PKD Mobile programme, which was also attended by Negeri Sembilan senior executive councillor and state Rural Development, Plantation and Commodity Action Committee chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias. A total of 22 exhibitors were involved in the two-day programme starting yesterday.
Rubiah said that to strengthen PKD’s role in rural areas, the ministry’s overall allocation will increase to RM11.96 billion next year while the budget allocation for PKD has also increased to RM5 million.
In addition, she said that from 2021 to October, the PKD had implemented 23,203 programmes nationwide, benefitting 619,243 rural residents, especially for communities near the PKD.
Meanwhile, Rubiah said the Mobile PKD is one of the ministry’s measures to reach out and welcome rural residents through service offers and mobile information distribution to rural communities.
“This programme, involving areas that do not have access to existing PKD services or are far from the city, is to enable the community to obtain services, including from other agencies and ministries, without having to travel far,“ she said.
She added that KKDW also plans to implement a series of 13 Mini Mobile PKD in each state next year according to the Mobile PKD concept, but on a smaller scale and with the programme location further away from the city or rural areas.
Meanwhile, visitor Nor Hidzam Abu Bakar, 58, said programmes such as this should be held regularly to make it easier for locals to get information and services from certain agencies without going to the city, thus saving them time and transportation costs.
“Usually, I go to Melaka (town) to go to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) counter or the Inland Revenue Board, which takes about half an hour. So when there is a programme like this that gathers various agencies in one place, it’s easy for us, especially the elderly.
“If possible, it should be done every six months or once a year in each district. However, there needs to be more promotion regarding this programme because some in my village don’t know about it. It’s a good programme, so it needs to be publicised,“ he said.
Housewife Yati Alias, 53, said she received a health screening under the Health Care Scheme for the B40 Group (PeKa B40) during the programme.
“So it’s easy, ‘mak cik’ does not have to go to the clinic (which is) quite far from home. (Can) Come here to check my blood pressure and get information at the Community Development Department counter. There is also a Rahmah Sales stall, so I can buy things at a cheaper price,“ she said.
Bahau EPF branch service head Fatin Nur Haziqah Kamarulzaman said nearly 400 individuals visited its counter during the two-day programme, describing it as the best platform for the agency to reach out to people in rural areas.
“It needs to be held regularly. The EPF is not open on weekends. So, they can come here. Many EPF members are still unfamiliar with us, so we approach them and we can update any related matters face-to-face more quickly,“ she said.