Abstract:
In the contemoorarv discourse. 11 is aroued that the ultimate obiect1ve of rural development is to imorove
the quality of life for rural people. This makes it essential to qo beyond the income-re lated facto rs of
rural development Inclusive Rural Development. a more specific concept than the concept of
conventional rural development accommodates the variables for the quality of life in rural development
Th1s concept covers three different rut Interrelated d1mens1ons economic dimension social d1mens1on
and political dimension. The key drivers of th1s concept are. hioh overall economic orowth effective land
reform rural infrastructure, effective institutions rural financial serv1ces, a dynamic ag ricultural sector,
rural nor-farm enterpnses. and subsidies. Rural Transformation Centre [RTC). implemented by the
qovernment of Malaysia is the third qeneration of the rural development proqrammes in the country
RTC 1s a s1te to Implement some 1nteorated initiatives far the rural commun1t1es within 1 DO kilometre
rad1us of the s1tes. There are e1aht ma1or m1tlatJves under the RTC 1molementat1on proarammes. Vihlch
are: tra1ninq of rural population; sett1nq up of 1 Malaysia Information kiosks hiqh-value aqriculture
Initiatives; aqrc-food products processmq; aqrcultural produce supply chain manaqement; un~ersi tv
cooperation: food safetv and pharmaceuticals services: and rural population fi nancial facilities This
paper will attempt to exam1ne the merits of RTC concept of Malaysia 1n light of the concept of Inclusive
Rural Development 'Nhich will help relevant qovernmental and non-oovernmental bod1es and
researchers to qa1n some insights regarding the potentials and challenges of RTC in improving the
quality of l1fe for rural people.
