Better district delivery system
Programs must reach target groups to overcome poverty, says Pairin
TAMBUNAN:
Greater commitment and dedication from civil servants at the district level are needed to ensure the Government’s development progrm.exe properly implemented, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan. He said it is necessary for the programmes to reach the target groups so that they can achieve the main mission of minimising the poverty rate, particularly the hardcore poor by 2010. “To achieve this, Government staff at the implementation level bear the same responsibility as the leadership in serving the community, by pooling our resources and working together,” he said. Pairin, who is also Rural Development Minister, said this at a briefing for heads of Federal and State departments at the Tambunan District Council meeting room here, recently. He said that apart from efforts to promote economic development for rural communities, the Government has also embarked on infrastructure development programmes to establish road networks and water and electricity supply to the entire district. “In this respect, the delivery system at the district level must be upgraded to ensure the ability and efficiency of the staff are at optimal level. This involves continuous effort in ensuring the projects achieve their goals,” he said. Pairin stressed that the Government, under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) and the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC), aims to create a . metropolitan centre in the interior through activities based on agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and human capital development. During the briefing, Pairin was informed of the progress of various road and electricity supply projects currently being implemented. Pairin, who is also Tambunan Assemblyman, urged the various villages involved n the Rural Electricity Supply development programme to ease the process of acquiring the access permit to ensure smooth implementation. For that purpose, he said officers from the District Council and the project implementor will hold a meeting with the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairmen from the affected villages to discuss the matter further.
