KUALA LUMPUR: All ministry secretaries-general have been directed by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar (pic) to prioritise the implementation of more than 40,000 identified small-scale development projects nationwide.
He said all secretaries-general had also been instructed to conduct site visits, closely monitor progress and resolve issues on the ground.
Shamsul Azri said the directive was among the decisions reached during the National Development Action Committee meeting, which he chaired yesterday.
“The key decision was to expedite the implementation of small projects and programmes that are considered low-hanging fruit.
“Most of these projects are very close to the hearts of the people,” he said in a Facebook post, Bernama reported.
According to Shamsul Azri, the projects include road repairs, drain maintenance, refurbishment of government quarters, repairs to school classrooms, upgrades to healthcare facilities, as well as improvements to public stalls and markets.
He said most of the projects can be completed within three to six months, enabling the public to benefit from them in the near term.
On another matter, Shamsul Azri said the increase in the female labour force participation rate to 56.2% in 2023, from 45.7% in 1982, has put the country on track to achieve its target of 60% by 2030.
He said the upward trend recorded over more than four decades reflects the increasingly important role women play in national development and economic growth.
