KUANTAN, February 16 - The Pahang state government is calling for more stakeholders, including government and private agencies, to engage with indigenous villages to enhance cooperation and ensure the community is on the right path for development.

Member of Parliament for Paya Besar, Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah, stated that the effort aims to improve the quality of education and identify the significant potential among indigenous people that can be harnessed through the development of industry and tourism products.

"We can see the current situation by going directly to the field, and besides improving the quality of education, we can also observe the atmosphere and vast potential in these indigenous villages.

"We will develop areas like Sungai Mas, which has considerable potential and tourism products.

This will certainly provide good returns not only to the state," he said.

He made these remarks to the media after the 2025 Tunas Makmur Aid Handing Ceremony, which provided school supplies to 67 indigenous students at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Mas, Sungai Lembing.

Additionally, he agreed to contribute RM30,000 for upgrading facilities at the school.

After the aid handing ceremony, he also visited three homes to check on the children’s preparations for school the following day.

According to the Principal of SK Sungai Mas, Wan Aizaidi Wan Zakaria, the contribution will be used to improve existing facilities to increase student attendance rates.

"Previously, we received a donation of RM10,000 for speakers from Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), so with the construction and improvement of these speakers, we can further enhance the attendance rate of indigenous students in school," he said.