Ahmad Zahid: HLC on rural development to drive integrated, sustainable growth
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture) said the HLC will be supported by working committees formed around six key focus areas, namely education, entrepreneur development, rural economy, technology and digitalisation, rural tourism, and rural infrastructure.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the HLC will meet at least twice a year, or as required.
'The establishment of the HLC is in line with the aspirations of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which emphasises integrated governance to reduce duplication of functions, optimise resource utilisation, and accelerate the achievement of outcomes.
'Through this HLC, the government aims to reduce youth migration to cities by creating more opportunities in rural areas, producing more rural techno-entrepreneurs, strengthening the role of the Regional Development Board through new business models and boosting a competitive rural tourism sector,' he said in a statement today.
Earlier, he chaired the inaugural HLC meeting at the Parliament Building, which was also attended by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
According to Ahmad Zahid, the key inputs from the meeting included improving facilities and access to rural schools, enhancing the promotion of rural tourism, addressing the welfare of the elderly and people with special needs, and upgrading health infrastructure to improve the well-being of rural communities.
He said the cross-ministerial initiatives already underway and directly benefiting rural stakeholders include UP_TVET, a centralised application system for Technical and Vocational Education and Training courses.
Other programmes include Inap Desa Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2026, which promotes rural tourism as a key attraction; the Mega 3-Dimensional Carnival (KM3D), a large-scale entrepreneurship platform; and the SBP-MRSM Single Application System, which streamlines admission to boarding schools.
'Rural development is not just about building physical infrastructure, but also about building the future and unlocking the potential of the people. I am confident that, with a whole-of-government approach, this HLC will help create a prosperous, sustainable rural ecosystem and drive national progress,' he said. — BERNAMA
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