Kuala Lumpur: Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that the ministry (KKDW) has identified four main focus areas for 2025, which include human capital development, entrepreneurship, economy, and bureaucratic reform, as the foundation for its direction this year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that these focus areas would be further refined during a retreat session involving 140 ministry staff, including top management, senior officers, as well as departments and agencies under the KKDW. The session is scheduled from today until Sunday at the Bahang Bay in Penang.

Dr. Ahmad Zahid expressed optimism that new ideas and significant changes would emerge from this retreat, enhancing the potential of rural areas more efficiently. He shared on Facebook that last year's retreat led to the rebranding of the Hardcore Poor Housing Programme (PPRT) to the Program Perumahan Rakyat Sejahtera (PPRS), which aimed to offer a more positive and user-friendly image.

Furthermore, he highlighted adjustments in aid amounts for new house construction projects, with an increase from RM66,000 to RM79,000 in Peninsular Malaysia and from RM79,000 to RM85,000 in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan. The cost of house repairs has been standardized to RM20,000 across all regions.

Dr. Ahmad Zahid also mentioned that the construction area for houses has been expanded from 660 square feet to 680 square feet, providing more comfort for recipients based on site and location suitability.