Shafie speaking at the press conference at Tawau Yatch Club. On the left is Ghapur.

08/10/2012 (Borneo Post) - The government will issue a guideline to encourage villagers staying in the rural areas to involve themselves in rubber and oil palm plantation, and the livestock sector.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hj Mohd Shafie Apdal said this is to improve the income of villagers and eradicate poverty.

Shafie, who is also the Semporna member of parliament, said the price of rubber is quite high and it is worthwhile for the villagers to plant the commodity.

He said this to reporters after visiting the site of housing assistance programme and power and water supply projects at Kampung Sungai Pukul here yesterday morning.

“Today, I could perceive that there have been improvements on Sebatik island, especially on the power and water supply and road facilities. I believe more and better improvements could be carried out, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, for the villagers. This will also prevent the young villagers from migrating to the city.

“If there is no road infrastructure in a village, the children are unable to go to school and the agriculture products cannot be transported.

“There are 25,000 villages in Malaysia and the government is always concerned over the development of facilities in the villages or rural areas as well as the needs of the villagers. Thus, the government has allocated an allocation under the Budget 2013 for upgrading the basic infrastructures in the rural areas,” Shafie, who is also Umno vice president, pointed out.

According to Shafie, the government has allocated an additional RM4.5 billion for upgrading the infrastructures in rural areas throughout the country.

Also present were Kalabakan member of parliament Datuk Seri Panglima Ghapur Salleh and Sebatik assemblyman Muis Picho.