MARANG, 30 Oct 2017:
The government, through the Education Ministry, has spent around RM49.3 million from July to December to fund the 1Malaysia Milk Programme, benefiting 757,439 pupils from 7,780 primary schools nationwide.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan said the programme – which focused on pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 – would be continued next year as it boosted their health and intelligence.
Kamalanathan said the ministry would also consider requests from teachers and students for the programme to be extended to secondary schools.
“The requests are being reviewed to determine the costs involved. Overall, we may apply the same mechanism as used in primary schools.
“For Terengganu, we have spent around RM3.2 million to supply milk to 49,835 pupils from 353 primary schools throughout the state.
“So far, I am satisfied with the programme and it will be continued next year. I would also like to thank the implementer group, especially state education officers and teachers, who have significantly contributed to the success of the programme.”
The construction of houses under the Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT) will be continued in Kelantan as many of them are in need of comfortable homes.
Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub said yesterday most of the hardcore poor lived in remote areas in the state.
“Some of them have been provided with an allocation between RM10,000 and RM13,000 to repair their houses, but even with that amount the houses still cannot be repaired.
“Based on their living conditions, it is better to build new three-roomed houses worth RM40,000 each under the PPRT programme,” he said after launching a community programme at SMK Machang, here.
Ahmad Jazlan said the federal government would focus on housing projects such as the Rumah Bina Negara programme, ensuring that more Kelantanese are able to move out from their state of poverty.
He assured that Kelantan would not be excluded from development projects under the ministry, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had also given special attention to the needs of the Kelantan people who desire for development although ruled by the opposition.
– Bernama