Kuala lumpur: Every rural development project is implemented in a structured manner so that its impact is felt by the community at the grassroots, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, emphasized that the ministry's focus extends beyond infrastructure to include strengthening the economy and improving the well-being of the local population.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid highlighted the Road and Bridge project from Kampung Labu through Kampung Batu Balak, Jerantut to Kampung Gemunchur and Kampung Mela, Kuala Lipis as a tangible example of these efforts. The completion of this project is expected to boost economic activities such as tourism, agriculture, and rural entrepreneurship, thereby opening up new opportunities for livelihood and attracting young people to invest in their hometowns.
During the project's inauguration, Ahmad Zahid was accompanied by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, and Deputy Minister of Human Resources cum Member of Parliament for Lipis Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad. He described the project route as Pahang's main tourism corridor, connecting Kuala Tahan National Park in Jerantut to the Cameron Highlands via Kuala Lipis and onward to Genting Highlands.
The road involved in the project will be handed over to the Pahang government as a state road alignment, starting from the intersection of Jalan Kampung Selimbang - Kampung Lubuk Payung and connecting to federal road FT234. This handover signifies trust and a continuity of responsibility between the federal and state governments. The high-impact road and bridge project was completed on August 25 at a contract cost of RM157.89 million, implemented through the design and build method by the appointed contractor. This infrastructure development could significantly reduce the travel distance between Kampung Mela, Lipis, and Kampung Labu, Jerantut, from 60 kilometers to 17 kilometers, cutting travel time from one hour to just 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid reiterated that no village would be left out of the national development stream, aligning with the MADANI government's intention to ensure balanced progress for rural communities and bridge the socio-economic gap between urban and rural areas. For the coming year, RM7.78 billion has been allocated specifically for development projects such as road construction, electricity and water supply, telecommunications, and social facilities.