Deputy rural and regional development minister Rubiah Wang said up to last month, a total of 6,780 programmes had been implemented by 191 PKDs across the country, benefitting 166,590 rural residents.

“This year, RM4.5 million has been allocated to further empower PKDs nationwide and as of November 2023, a total of 6,780 programmes have been implemented involving 166,590 rural residents,” she said.

In her speech at the launch of the Kota Samarahan PKD Mobile in Kampung Tambirat near here, she said there are six PKDs in Sarawak which provide 162 programmes involving 3,585 residents from the surrounding areas.

She added that PKD is one of her ministry’s initiatives to help improve the living standards and well-being of rural communities, and to bring services provided by government and private agencies to rural areas through the concept of “One Stop Multiple Services”.

Rubiah, who is also Kota Samarahan MP, said the ministry had also developed the MyPKD system to ensure improved operations and management that was more efficient in line with the development of digital technology.

She said PKD Mobile was implemented this year to ensure that the ministry can continue to provide its services more comprehensively and inclusively.

The Kota Samarahan PKD Mobile is the third such programme held after one in Gerik, Perak, and Nabawan, Sabah.

“Next year, we will study the effectiveness of this PKD to the rural community from the point of view of channelling service information and so on, (to evaluate) to hold more PKD Mobile,” she said.