Kuala lumpur: Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) Datuk Rubiah Wang reaffirmed the government's commitment to community empowerment via the Orang Asli Business Empowerment Programme (PERKASA) under the 13th Malaysia Plan.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the programme aims to provide interest-free, non-repayable grants for equipment and premises, targeting groups such as youth, women, and cooperatives. Key initiatives under this programme include the Young Entrepreneurs programme, offering grants up to RM10,000, the Entrepreneur Expansion and Women Entrepreneurs programme with support up to RM35,000, and Cooperative Grants reaching up to RM300,000 for economic projects and business premises construction.

In response to a query from Senator Manolan Mohamad regarding the establishment of a trust fund or microfinance scheme, Deputy Minister Rubiah Wang provided these details during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

In related news, the government is utilizing the Public Works Department's Green Rating (PH JKR) to assess climate resilience in road projects, particularly those valued at RM50 million and above. Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan highlighted the government's encouragement of cross-ministry cooperation to implement Value Engineering and Value Assessment initiatives.

An example is the newly-opened southbound Rest and Service (R and R) area on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) in Seremban, which holds a Green Building Index certification. The project incorporates solar power, a rainwater harvesting system, electric vehicle charging stations, landscaped walkways, covered pathways, and an efficient ventilation system. This information was shared during an oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Negara, in response to a supplementary question from Senator Michael Mujah Lihan about standards for assessing climate resilience and best practices for national highway upgrades.