The government aims to implement 500 Madani adopted villages this year, expanding from 219, to bridge the urban-rural development gap with basic facilities.
KLUANG: The government is targeting the implementation of 500 MADANI Adopted Villages nationwide this year.
This marks a significant expansion from the 219 villages targeted for 2025.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the programme’s positive impact in expanding access to basic facilities prompted the increase. He stated the expansion would strengthen efforts to bridge the development gap between urban and rural areas.
“It is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to narrow the urban-rural development gap and ensure that no community is left behind in the nation’s development,” he said. The initiative, introduced under Budget 2024, benefited 43 villages in its first year before increasing more than fivefold.
Fadillah spoke at the completion ceremony of the PETRA MADANI Adopted Village Project at Kampung Orang Asli Berasau. His ministry was entrusted with implementing the project there with an allocation of RM2.5 million.
The project addressed the residents’ key needs for a stable 24-hour electricity supply and a community hall. It involved constructing a solar-roofed community hall and installing an integrated photovoltaic system with over 50 kilowatt-peak capacity.
A battery energy storage system of 516 kilowatt-hours was also installed to provide continuous power. This system will supply more than 20 houses and the community hall, benefiting residents who previously relied on generators.
“We want Kampung Orang Asli Berasau to serve as a role model for other Orang Asli villages in the provision of basic facilities,” Fadillah said. The community hall will also be used for local activities and social programmes.
The solar-based solution was chosen as developing a conventional grid would take longer and involve forest reserves. The project in Kampung Orang Asli Berasau is among the first to use an integrated solar system for comprehensive community support.
Fadillah said the needs-based approach will continue under the MADANI Adopted Village initiative. This ensures more rural areas gain access to basic facilities in a phased and systematic manner.
