BAGAN DATUK: The National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) has been a successful management strategy and its initiatives proven to be of high impact, yet cost effective.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said various programmes and initiatives were being carried out since NBOS was introduced in 2009, based on three elements — high impact, low cost and quick implementation.
“The government managed to save in operational and construction costs through NBOS with a total of 114 initiatives being carried out every month. One example of the infrastructure developed under NBOS is the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC).
“Through the 20 UTCs nationwide, the government has saved RM2 billion and each centre is built within 10 weeks. There is no other programme as good as NBOS in the world.”
Zahid was critical of “certain quarters” who had opposed NBOS, but these had been proven wrong.
“There were quarters who were cynical of programmes brought by the government for the benefit of the people. However, I am confident that the silent majority will be with the government and appreciate the transformation brought by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak,” he said.
As an example, Zahid said one programme under NBOS which had been proven a success was the community rehabilitation programme (CRP) for prisoners with track records of good behaviour and had less than six months of jail terms to serve.
He said CRP had succeeded in reducing the recidivism rate from 7.8 per cent to 0.4 per cent.
“The (NBOS) initiatives have positive impact on various aspects and have received favourable feedback from the community,” he said after launching the NBOS fiesta at SMK Hutan Melintang today.
During the event, eight initiatives for the state of Perak were highlighted. They included Coding@school (computer and coding classes for children), Bahasa Inggeris 1Malaysia, Mobile Community Transformation Centre (CTC), CRP for drug addicts and 1Malaysia Civil Servants Housing Project or PPA1M (1,039 units in Bagan Datuk).