“There is no allocation approved because there are no programmes,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat today in response to Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) who said that the majority of New Villages had yet to receive government funding this year.

New Villages, whose population is mainly Chinese, were created during the 12-year Emergency period of the counter-insurgency civil war against the Communist Party of Malaya.

Zuraida said the villages will receive RM100, 000 for activities that involve youths, education, women, environment, entertainment, tourism, recycling programmes and gotong royong work.

Cha also asked about the amount of funding given to New Villages and the mechanism used to distribute it.

Zuraida said the government has allocated RM60 million for the villages, with RM40 million set aside for infrastructure, RM5 million for home upgrades and the remainder for loan schemes.

Zuraida also said that those who have appointed their village heads can send in their applications for funds.