Federal Government has allocated over RM35mil for road maintenance in rural areas throughout Johor this year.
State agriculture, agro-based industry and rural committee chairman Datuk Zahari Sarip said Rural and Regional Development Ministry Johor office was one of the agencies involved through its rural-linked road project (JPD).
“JPD facilitates roads connecting villages to other villages or main streets.
“The project’s implementation is aimed at enabling accessibility in rural areas and improving living standards,” he said.
Zahari said this during the Johor State Assembly sitting when replying to Mohd Yusla Ismail (BN-Senggarang) who asked about the Federal Government’s allocation for maintenance of rural roads in Johor throughout this year.
As of this month, Zahari said the ministry’s state office had received approvals for 69 projects with RM7.4mil allocated for construction and maintenance of rural roads in Johor.
He added that the bulk of the projects would be carried out in Batu Pahat (33 projects), followed by Kota Tinggi (14), Segamat (10), Muar (five), Kluang (five) and Johor Baru (two).
“The Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) also implements rural road projects to enable farming and agricultural activities.
“For this year, 229 projects worth more than RM26.6mil were approved for the development of farm and agriculture roads in rural areas.”
Zahari said Batu Pahat would see the most number of projects with 69, followed by Pontian (32), Tangkak (26), Kulai (26), Segamat (25), Mersing (21), Muar (20) and Kluang (10).
Zahari also said the Senggarang constituency, which was under Batu Pahat district, had seven projects with an allocation of over RM745,000 approved this year.
“Through the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa), 12 road development projects have been approved this year amounting to more than RM1.2mil.
“The project will see roads at Orang Asli villages being developed, with two in the Senggarang constituency involving Kampung Orang Asli Sri Pantai and Kampung Orang Asli Desa Sri Banang.”
