KKDW Sets four Key Focus Areas For 2025 - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the ministry (KKDW) has outlined four main focuses, namely human capital development, entrepreneurship, economy and bureaucratic reform, as the foundation for its direction this year.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that these would be refined during a retreat session involving 140 ministry staff, including top management, senior officers as well as departments and agencies under the KKDW, from today until Sunday (Jan 19) at the Bahang Bay in Penang.

"InsyaAllah, more new ideas and game changers will materialise from this retreat session, thus driving rural potential more effectively,” he posted on Facebook today.

Ahmad Zahid said that following last year's retreat session, the ministry had implemented the rebranding of the Hardcore Poor Housing Programme (PPRT) to Program Perumahan Rakyat Sejahtera (PPRS), giving it a fresh and more positive, user-friendly image.

In addition, he said the aid amount for new house construction projects in Peninsular Malaysia has been raised from RM66,000 to RM79,000, an increase of about 20 per cent, while the increase in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan is about 8 per cent from RM79,000 to RM85,000.

He added that the cost of house repairs had also been standardised from RM15,000 in Peninsular Malaysia and RM17,000 in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, to RM20,000.

"Interestingly, the house construction area has been expanded from 660 square feet to 680 square feet to provide more comfort for the recipients, depending on the suitability of the site and location,” he said.

-- BERNAMA