Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) will step up development efforts next year by focusing on two main areas — human capital development and strengthening rural entrepreneurship, particularly through techno-entrepreneur initiatives. Deputy Prime Minister and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the focus is not only on improving the quality of rural products but also on ensuring these products can penetrate international markets.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid highlighted a significant milestone achieved through MIHAS@Shanghai, recording transactions exceeding RM3.2 billion, demonstrating that Malaysian rural products have successfully entered international markets. He noted the impressive graduate employability rate of nearly 98.7 percent achieved by the 300 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), with a target to increase it to 99 percent next year.
He also mentioned the substantial increase in the number of Orang Asli students pursuing university education this year, with plans for continued efforts next year to be unveiled at the KKDW retreat scheduled for March. Ahmad Zahid emphasized the importance of careful planning and monitoring of projects, revealing that out of the 42 game-changing initiatives implemented this year, 95 percent have achieved their intended outcomes.
Next year, KKDW will focus on determining the number of game changers to be rolled out to the community, with Ahmad Zahid collaborating closely with senior management and supporting officers to ensure the ministry’s success. He emphasized that the coming year will mark a new phase for KKDW, focusing on a work culture that is value-driven, responsive, and high-impact, aligning with the ministry’s social and corporate responsibilities to rural communities.
Ahmad Zahid stressed the need for KKDW staff to comprehend the organization’s dual responsibilities: social responsibility to ensure public benefit from government work, and corporate responsibility to guarantee agencies like MARA, RISDA, FELCRA, JAKOA, and LKW operate transparently and achieve strategic targets. He highlighted the necessity for focus to be coordinated, profitable, aligned with agency mandates, and transparent in operations to meet strategic objectives.
He underscored the need for KKDW to adopt three new work cultures to meet challenges effectively: rapid response to prevent problems from escalating, operating as a unified system, team, and purpose, and delivering excellence to ensure outcomes are tangible for the public. Ahmad Zahid announced the upcoming KKDW Strategic Plan 2026-2030, which will be launched at the KKDW retreat early next year, aiming to translate these priorities into concrete actions.