DPLB 2030, KKDW STRATEGIC PLAN 2021 HELP REDUCE RURAL-TO-URBAN MIGRATION - AHMAD ZAHID

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- Various efforts and initiatives, outlined in the Rural Development Policy (DPLB) 2030 and the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) Strategic Plan 2021, are able to reduce the migration of rural communities to urban areas.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that the policy and strategic plan, which focus on ensuring rural communities have access to basic infrastructure and social facilities comparable to those in urban areas, are key measures to mitigate rural migration.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, added that the introduction of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme in rural areas is another step towards strengthening and empowering youth in these communities.

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“The 2022 Migration Survey, by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), indicates a decrease in internal migration from rural to urban areas, from 3.0 per cent in 2020 to 2.4 per cent in 2022.

“Additionally, the Local Techno-Entrepreneurship programme was introduced, to help improve economic standards and to develop the rural economy through digital entrepreneurship initiatives,” he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2025 (Budget 2025) for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

Ahmad Zahid said that, for long-term planning, rural projects, especially those in areas impacted by the East Coast Rail Line (ECRL), are expected to serve as catalysts for the development of new regions and areas.

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“For this reason, we have established institutions like MARA College, GiatMARA, IKM (Mara Skills Institute), and ILP (Industrial Training Institute) in these areas, to foster development and reduce migration," he said.

Earlier, Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) proposed that KKDW leverage the construction of the ECRL, which passes through rural areas, to stimulate development, particularly in areas near the transport stations.

The ECRL, slated to begin operations in 2027, will connect the east coast to the west coast, passing through 20 stations across four states - Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor.

Additionally, Ahmad Zahid supported proposals from Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) and Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan), who suggested that KKDW, in collaboration with other ministries, assess the potential for relocating selected industrial sectors from urban areas to outlying regions or suburbs, thereby creating job opportunities for local residents.

Meanwhile, concerning disasters and temporary evacuation centres, Ahmad Zahid, the chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, said that the government anticipates heavy rainfall during the Northeast Monsoon, which is expected to affect Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, as well as certain areas in Johor, Sarawak, and Sabah.

He added that the government has identified nine permanent evacuation centre locations, including schools, and plans to enhance these facilities by adding amenities, such as cooking areas and restrooms.

He also mentioned that the government is also exploring the development of an application, with real-time update technology, to track the entry and status of flood victims in temporary evacuation centres.

-- BERNAMA