Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun said the Rural Development Ministry has decided to hand over the Rembau Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) to the state government.

He said this meant that the federal government would not longer channel aid or allocations for the RTC.

"Following this, the state government has decided that the agencies and departments concerned can continue to operate at their existing premises at the RTC but will have to foot the rental cost themselves,” he told reporters in Seremban yesterday.

He said in connection with this, the National Registration Department, Pusat Zakat Negeri Sembilan, Baitulmal Negeri Sembilan and Pusat Kaunseling Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Sembilan will continue to operate at their existing premises and so too the Immigration Department until an announcement was made by its headquarters to cease operations there due to a lack of response from the public.

He said the Rembau RTC took three working days to process passports whereas this could be done in about an hour at the Seremban Urban Transformation Centre.

- Bernama