INGENIEUR
“Gotong Royong” Road
Building Works, 1966
Kuala Sungai Duan, Yan, Kedah
By Cheo Hong Keyong
Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of National
and Rural Development
Tun Abdul Razak
accompanied by the
District Officer of Yan,
Kedah, had a close-up
look of the villagers
at work for the gotong
royong road works at
Kuala Sungai Duan,
Kedah on September 4,
1966
Source: Jabatan
Penerangan Malaysia
Historical Background on Gotong Royong
Gotong Royong was strongly emphasized in the
Government’s National Rural Development plans
in the 1960s. On August 31, 1966, the Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of National and Rural
Development, Tun Abdul Razak spoke on this topic
over Radio Malaysia in relation to the National
Rural Development Round-up. Excerpts of his
speech include the following:
“Highlight of the development progress today
is Gerakan Maju or ‘Operation Progress’. This is
a follow-up of the various facilities and amenities
which the Government provided the rakyat when
Phase One of the National Rural Development
programme was launched. And, over the years
numerous projects have been implemented
to raise the standard of living and economic
position of the people, particularly those in the
rural areas.
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Gerakan Maju, the theme of our development
today, is aimed at mobilising the spirit and energy
of the rural people in bergotong royong or ‘self-
help’ in bettering themselves and the nation.
Broadly, the Government’s National Rural
Development Programme has a four-pronged
strategy to develop the country economically and
socially, namely the Government’s implementation
and participation in development projects;
Community Development programmes through
the rakyat’s participation in ‘gotong royong’ or
‘self-help’; improvement in marketing facilities of
primary and rural produce through the setting up
of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority
(Fama) in October 1965, and thereby correcting
the imbalance between the urban and rural
sectors of the economy by the establishment of
Bank Bumiputra and MARA or the Council of Trust
of the Indigenous People.”