PUSA: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development is set to expand its rural outreach with the next Mini Rural Community Centre (PKD) Mobile programme scheduled for Saratok this October.
Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Rubiah Wang, said the initiative aims to bring government services directly to remote areas and improve access for underserved communities.
Speaking during the PKD Mobile Batang Lupar Programme at Dataran Tandang Sari today, Rubiah highlighted the strong response to the programme since its launch.
“The response since the launch of PKD Mobile has been very encouraging, and the reception towards the Batang Lupar PKD Mobile programme, held yesterday and today, has been overwhelmingly positive.
“This is what we hope to achieve with every PKD Mobile programme,” she said.
To date, 191 physical and permanent PKD centres have been established nationwide.
However, Rubiah noted that Sarawak currently has only six such centres which are insufficient to meet the needs of its vast rural population.
To bridge the gap, the PKD Mobile initiative – launched in 2023 – has been mobilising government services and agencies across various rural locations.
“We plan to hold around five to six PKD Mobile programmes each year nationwide,” she added.
She said that the mobile centres function as multipurpose platforms, offering technical and entrepreneurial training, especially for rural women, who often serve as secondary income earners in their households.
“At this Batang Lupar edition, the two-day programme featured four technical training sessions: rattan basket weaving, traditional Selampai Buriek fabric-making, resin art techniques and mushroom cultivation,” she added.
Rubiah also emphasised the PKD’s role in supporting digitalisation among rural communities.
“These centres serve as ICT hubs, helping to boost digital literacy and connectivity in underserved areas.
“In addition, the centres act as exhibition and marketing platforms for rural products, connecting local entrepreneurs to larger online marketplaces such as Lazada and Shopee through DesaMall.
“Here, the PKD Mobile provides an entrepreneurship corner for showcasing and selling local products. Although food sales are more prominent, other products also have the potential to be highlighted and expanded into wider markets,” she said.
The PKD Mobile initiative is part of the ministry’s broader efforts to foster inclusive development and empower rural communities economically and socially.
