RURAL AREA AN IMPORTANT ASSET TO THE COUNTRY, SAYS M'SIAN DPM

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- The government will ensure that the rural
areas are not left out of the country's development programme because these
areas are an important asset to the country, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin
Yassin said.

He said the government would continue to give attention to uplifting the
socio-economic well-being of the rural people and intensifying rural
development.

The government would also continue to assist entrepreneurs and encourage
rural enterprises through the provision of infrastructure, training, capital
assistance, loan and so on, he said.

The government, he said, would bring development programme closer to the
rural people so that they need not migrate out in search of livelihood and
economic opportunities.

"That is why we need to care for this asset. We should regard each area as
an economic unit, meaning it can generate its own income and able to support its
own programme in collaboration with government agencies," he told reporters
after launching the 2010 Rural Entrepreneurs' Carnival organised by the Rural
and Regional Development Ministry at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, here
Saturday.

Muhyiddin said the government had been focusing its attention on the rural
areas, saying they were home to a large section of the Malaysian population.

In the past 10 to 15 years, the government had successfully enhanced the
economic activities in these areas, resulting in a drop in poverty rate,
increase in per capita income and more value-added economic activities, he said.

Earlier in his speech, Muhyiddin said rural poverty had declined from 11.9
per cent in 2004 to 8.4 per cent last year, while the average rural household
income had increased from RM1,875 a month (U$$585.93) in 2004 to RM2,545 a
month(US$795) last year.

"The government is committed to continuously improving the quality of life
of the rural people," he said.

He also said that the agricultural sector should not be seen as an ordinary
activity but one that had high commercial value.

The process would require quality agro-based products not only for the
local but also for the import market, he said.

He added that there were vast opportunities for Malaysian products at the
international market especially in the halal sector.

The four-day carnival is attended by 500 entrepreneurs.
-- BERNAMA