GOVT OPEN TO SMALL ALLOCATIONS FOR RURAL COMMUNITY MAINTENANCE WORK

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- The government is open to considering a proposal to provide small allocations to communities in rural and village areas to carry out minor maintenance works on a voluntary basis.

Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Datuk Seri Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the proposal could help expedite maintenance work, but its implementation must be carefully studied as not all areas are suitable for community-based efforts due to cost and logistical factors.

“In principle, most maintenance work falls under the jurisdiction of the state governments. For example, in Johor, part of the state’s allocation is channelled to village associations or committees, especially in rural areas.

“While the intention is good, challenges arise when maintenance work requires the use of machinery or specialised equipment, which makes it less cost-effective to be carried out by the community,” he said during the Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Afnan Hamimi Datuk Taib Azamudden (PN–Alor Setar), who asked whether the government plans to provide small allocations to associations for periodic minor maintenance work.

Akmal Nasrullah said community ‘gotong-royong’ activities remain encouraged, as cooperation among villagers can ensure continuous maintenance efforts and prevent larger problems from developing.

He said this approach is in line with ongoing maintenance programmes organised by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

Addressing the issue of inter-agency coordination, Akmal Nasrullah said DID is always ready to collaborate with related agencies to strengthen cross-agency coordination, ensuring that river maintenance work is carried out in an integrated manner.

He said the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) and state DID offices have their respective responsibilities in managing drainage issues, but complement each other in maintaining infrastructure within their respective catchment areas.

“MADA, under the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM), is responsible for developing and managing irrigation and drainage systems in the rice bowl areas, including operations and maintenance.

“Meanwhile, DID, which is under the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA), is responsible for river management, eco-friendly drainage and the implementation of local projects funded through government budgets,” he said.

-- BERNAMA