KUALA TERENGGANU, 1 MARCH, 2012: The program of going to the ground or 'turun padang' by government leaders to meet the people is important in the efforts to gain feedback on any policy to be enforced by the government.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said such an approach provided more opportunities for the people to be involved in the process of national development.

He said the approach was necessary so that whatever policy or program that the government wished to implement would be accepted positively by all strata of society.

"Under this approach, we organize meetings with the rakyat beforehand so that the policies and programs that we wish to implement will be well received.

"We don't want a situation where the government's policy, which was drawn up with good intention, has been misinterpreted and misunderstood which will hinder whatever program that we want to implement or will not give the desired impact," he said at a media conference, here today.

Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister held a special meeting with the state and federal government officers in Terengganu in conjunction with his one-day working visit to the state, today.

Also present was Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

Muhyiddin said the government also wanted the leaders at all levels, including in the state, to be more active in meeting with their respective target groups to gather inputs needed by the government to improve the policies or programs implemented.

"This approach is important. The Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) has stated that the era where the government knows everything has ended. Now, the rakyat are knowledgeable and they will be more satisfied if they are also involved in planning the programs that the government wants to implement," he added.


- Bernama