KUCHING, Nov 11, 2014: The Ministry of Rural Development
has been slammed by the Auditor- General Ambrin Buang for its failure to
conduct impact studies on achievements and successes of the Rural Growth
Centres (RGCs).
This is despite the fact that RGCs have been implemented
since 18 years ago.
Ambrin said the usage and maintenance of public
facilities in six out of eight RGCs needed to be
improved while another two- Semop and Opar RGCs - still do not have public facilities.
He said the proposed RGC at Long Semadoh is in the
process of being review.
Ambrin said an audit carried out on 10 RGCs showed that
seven of them - Telaga Air, Padawan, Gedong, Balingian, Beladin,
Mid-Layar/Nanga Spak and Sunda/Awat-Awat have been provided with basic
facilities.
The development of the Semop RGC involves an earth-filling
work while the Long Lama RGC does not have any infrastructures being carried
out by the Ministry of Rural Development, apart from the construction of a
clinic by the Health Ministry.
In the case of the Opar RGC, only access road has been
constructed, according to the AG.
The AG, in his report released in Parliament yesterday,
called on the ministry to re-study the implementation of the RGCs programmes in
tandem with the current development.
"Likewise a comprehensive impact study to evaluate
the achievements of RGCs development programmes should be carried out so that
the results of the study may provide input for improvement of the
implementation of RGC programmes.
"This should include aspects on suitability of
project’s locality and the involvements of the local community," he said.
He said the Land Custody And Development Authority (LCDA)
has to ensure close supervision on works in implementing projects so that any
short comings be settled accordingly.
He added the Ministry Of Rural Development Sarawak should
co-operate with other agencies
regarding the maintenance and supervision of RGC
projects.
The government has allocated RM385.86 million for the development
of RGCs from the 6th MP to 10th MP, with the actual expenditure as of May 2014
amounting to RM223.79 million.
The RGCs were in 1990 to transform the rural sector,
especially the backward areas with a population of up to 5,000, to become more
progressive and
sustainable.
RGCs are to provide infrastructure, economic development,
services centre and human capital development.
The State Government plans to implement the RGC
development programmes over a 20-year period starting from 1996 till 2015, that
is, from the 7th Malaysia Plan to the 10th Malaysia Plan.
The State Ministry Of Rural Development is responsible
for the planning, co-ordinating, implementing and monitoring of these programmes.
Initially RGC development programmes involved several
implementing agencies such as Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC),
Sarawak Land Development Board, Drainage And Irrigation Department Sarawak,
Agriculture Department Sarawak and Land Custody And Development Authority
Sarawak.
In 2003, the RGC Project Steering Committee appointed LCDA
as the main implementing agency for
RGC projects development.
The appointment of LCDA is to work closely with the
ministry to ensure the planning, co-ordinating, implementing and monitoring of
RGC projects are carried out more effectively.
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