TENOM, June 30 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today expressed his support for the communal grant concept initiated by the Sabah state government as it ensures a better future for the rural communities here.

Speaking at the ‘Juara Rakyat – 1 Malaysia Kemabong, Tenom 2011′ programme at the Padang Pekan Kemabong, near here, he said the move would bring a most meaningful change in taking them out of the clutches of poverty or hardcore poor category.

“This is what I would like to say about rural transformation, to bring about a most meaningful change to the rural community.

“I fully support this concept…I was informed during breakfast (here) that during the fourth year, the participants will receive an income of about RM1,100 for each household each month.

“Just imagine, without having to move house or to come out with a single sen, if they work a little harder, they can earn more. Earning RM1,100 means that they have risen above the poverty level for ever, for their family,” Najib said.

In conjunction with his visit to the Kemabong sub-district, which is in the Tenom interior region, the Prime Minister also handed over the communal grants for the Kabintaluan area, Kemabong to three representatives of the participants.

The area covering 2,555 hectares involved 601 participants from 13 villages. Besides Kabintaluan, three other areas in Tenom had been identified for the communal grants, namely Mangkalias (Melalap) covering 1,800 hectares and 437 participants (12 villages), Pengolobon 1 covering 900 hectares and 116 participants (one village), and Pengolobon 2 covering 190 hectares and 41 participants (one village).

Najib said the federal government also allocated RM30 million for the determination of boundaries for the communal grants.

“Actually, I would like to see balanced development in Malaysia, where we develop the urban centres without forgetting the rural areas.

“That’s why one of the six national key result areas (NKRAs) included ensuring basic amenities and higher income for the rural population. And after one-and-a-half years, we can see the highest increase in terms of the development of roads, power supply, water supply, and housing in the rural areas,” he said.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, meanwhile, said so far several communal grants had been issued for the whole of Sabah, including in Salarom Taka (Nabawan) and Lalampas (Tongod), with the full support and involvement of the villagers.

He said this was the style of the Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders who were always serving the people, and ensuring that the rural communities involved could enjoy a better way of life and no longer think about land ownership to be handed out to the future generation.

Source : Bernama