Hakim Hayat & Fadley Faisal
The fifth day of the 17th Legislative Council (LegCo) session yesterday heard several suggestions to help boost the One Village, One Product (1K1P) initiative in all districts, including the centralisation of the marketing of products and a dedicated commercial building to sell the products.
LegCo member Yang Berhormat Haji Mohimin bin Haji Johari @ Jahari suggested a long-term action plan to facilitate the centralisation of 1K1P activities and marketing in each districts to help generate income for entrepreneurs under mukim and village consultative councils (MPMK).
He added that the centralisation can be formed through a public and private sector partnership (PPP).
Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong in response said that his ministry is currently seeking a company to act as an agency to aggregate 1K1P products and commercialise them.
“For instance, those making the most popular prawn cracker or pineapple tart will no longer have to go through the hassle of packaging and marketing the products. Instead, an agency will consolidate the products and take over packaging and marketing domestically; Insya Allah with sustainability and high volume, they could even be marketed outside the country,” he said.
Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar said that 1K1P entrepreneurs will no longer have to go through the whole process alone.
“This will also help to increase their production because the job of packaging, labelling and marketing including the attaining certification has already taken over,”
LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pengiran Haji Mohamed bin Pengiran Haji Osman @ Othman meanwhile mooted the idea of a 1K1P Building that will be a centre for all 1K1P products nationwide to limit the hassle of delivering the products.
He added that this will also attract tourists and provide greater exposure to the products, as well as afford the public convenience.
The minister in his response said each district has existing shops selling 1K1P products but are small in size. He also said that they have forged cooperation with Ghanim International Corporation Sdn Bhd in promoting and market-testing three products last year.
“With the network, Ghanim can help distribute the products to supermarkets, and later, export to overseas markets,” he added.
Meanwhile, LegCo member Yang Berhormat Iswandy bin Ahmad raised concerns over the ever-changing demographics of Kampong Ayer.
Speaking during the fifth day of the 17th Legislative Council session yesterday, citing statistics, he said the meager population of Kampong Ayer residents’ numbers about 28,000 and have been migrating to land over the past 30 years, with the latest number of migration within a specific time frame numbering about 30,000 people.
Yang Berhormat Iswandy said if this persists, it will be a public concern over Kampong Ayer being left behind to the newer generations.
The public is concerned over the authorities’ plan to market Kampong Ayer to tourists in its economic development agenda, he said.
The Minister of Home Affairs in his response said the revitalisation of Kampong Ayer is included in the revitalisation of other buildings in the capital under the Bandar Seri Begawan Master Plan.
The minister said the budget is not for the revitalisation of Kampong Ayer alone, however, executed as planned, the fiscal budget does not fully cover the need to repair or renew, for example bridges, from time to time.
The minister also underlined that works will be carried out to repair or renew homes and bridges in Kampong Ayer. He however noted that Kampong Ayer will be a tourist attraction even in its traditional state.