SIBU: Residents who are scattered in the interiors of Sarawak are advised to join up to facilitate the formation of the Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT) neighbourhood watch in their area.
National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang said this is because the criteria for the setting up of a KRT require a settlement with more than 500 residents.
He said the government, through its ministry, hoped to empower the people’s economy through KRT and a paper is being prepared for the purpose.
“In the rural areas, especially in long houses, the population is less than 500 people. To facilitate the establishment of a KRT, the residents of a long house may have to join up with other longhouses,” he said at a “Warisan Budaya Bangsa – Ini Warisan Kita: Misi Sukarelawan Siswa ke Sarawak 2023’ at Rumah Bagol Tom in Nanga Sekeranji, Machan, Kanowit yesterday.
Under the plan, he said, a progressive KRT will be selected and given the allocation to implement economic projects such as agriculture that can increase the income of KRT members.
He said efforts to empower the people’s economy through the KRT are important so that the people do not depend entirely on government assistance such as the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) because such a contribution is not sufficient for the people to cover their living costs.
“In the past, KRT’s role was to focus on safety. Now we are expanding its role to include other things such as education, health, hygiene and also the economy,” he added.
Touching on unity, he said the ministry has a huge responsibility to ensure that unity among the people in Malaysia is strong, especially when there is a rift in the society caused by toxic politics.
“There is a rift in longhouses because of politics. This is what we must avoid because, without unity, development activities cannot be implemented,” he said.
The “Warisan Kita” programme, held from Nov 3 to 16, involved the participation of 95 students from various public and private higher institutions of higher learning.
The participants are stationed in six areas in Sarawak namely Sungai Maong in Petrajaya; Machan in Kanowit; Daha in Serian, Ba’kelalan in Lawas; as well as Long Laput and Long Kevok in Telang Usan to do volunteer work.
The programme is one of the initiatives under the Kembara Perpaduan flagship as a way to preserve unity to increase knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the people of various races regarding the diversity of the country’s heritage.– BERNAMA
