UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: PADANG TENGKU 巴登冬姑 PAHANG

Transcription

1 UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: PADANG TENGKU 巴登冬姑 PAHANG Project carried out by: Student Name ID Number Course Year/Semester 1.Shasivarman A/L Gannason Surendraj A/L Manivanan Terrence Jessindran Anthony Bachelor of Arts(Hons)English Education Bachelor of Business Administration(Hons) Banking and Finance Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)Petrochemical Engineering Year1/Sem1 Year1/Sem1 Year1/Sem1 DATE OF COMPLETION: OCTOBER 2013

2 ABSTRACT Padang Tengku was established in It is located in the district of Kuala Lipis in the state of Pahang. Towns close to this new village are Kuala Lipis and Gua Musang. The main attraction in Padang Tengku is the railway station. The Padang Tengku railway station is train station named after the town of Krambit, Pahang. The main sources of income are from rubber tapping and work in the oil palm plantations. Besides these, other economic activities in this village include logging, saw milling and iron and gold mining. 1

3 HISTORY During the Malayan Emergency, the main aim of the New Villages in Malaysia was to segregate the villagers from the early Malayan Races Liberation Army. It was planned to overcome the communists insurgency. Around 10 % of Malaya s population was related to new villages during this period of Emergency. By doing this, the British authorities were able to stem the critical flow of information and supplies to the communists. Removing a population that might be sympathetic to guerrillas was a counter insurgency technique which the British had used before against the Boer Commandos in the Second Boer War ( ). 2

4 INTRODUCTION Padang Tengku is located in Kuala Lipis,Pahang. Nearby towns includes: Kuala Lipis which is 20km south east from Padang Tengku Gua Musang which is 100km north from Padang Tengku Mr. Tan Kok Ong, the village head, provided the project team with information about the village s population growth and decline. When the village was founded in 1951, it had a small population of below 100. Over the years, the population increased as the mines and rubber plantations boosted the local economy. However, in recent years, many villagers from the younger generation have migrated to urban areas in search of better employment opportunities. This has led to a decline in Padang Tengku s population which stands at approximately 150 in

5 POPULATION, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION Population In 2013, Padang Tengku s population has dwindled to approximately 150. Of this total, about 100 are Chinese and the remainder are Malays and Indians. Housing There are about 100 houses in this village, of which 90 are detached houses. The remaining houses are semi-detached and terrace houses. Most detached homes are wooden structures. Other houses are concrete-and-wood structures. There are also a few shoplots in the village. Transportation The frequency of public bus service is once every 3 hours. Because of its infrequent service, public buses are not popular. Most villagers travel by motorcycle and few own motorcars. 4

6 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES The main sources of income in Padang Tengku are as follows: a) Work in oil palm and rubber plantations b) Logging c) Saw milling Oil palm plantation in Padang Tengku According Mr. Tan Kok Ong work in oil palm estates provide the main source of income in Padang Tengku. All the output of the oil palm estates are sold to RISDA. The saw mills provide another important source of employment in this area where logging takes place in the jungle. Some villagers run small shops and restaurants. The monthly income per family in Padang Tengku is below RM2000. As a result, many youths in Padang Tengku are not interested in agriculture and they migrate to urban areas to further their studies or to seek better employment opportunities. 5

7 SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGOUS PRACTICES Households of different races and beliefs can be differentiated easily by looking at the structure of the houses and the items that they place around the houses. Take, for example, the Buddhists who place altars in front of their shops and houses. Most Chinese villagers are Buddhist and they are seen burning incense at places of worship such as the Chinese temple (picture below) which Mr. Tan showed us. Chinese temple in Padang Tengku After visiting Padang Tengku s Chinese temple, Mr. Tan brought us to an Indian neighbourhood. Most Indians are Hindus and they often place altars with pictures of Hindu deities in front of their houses. They also use jossticks when the worship of their gods. There is only one Hindu temple in Padang Tengku. The name of this temple is Attivana Sri Sivan temple and it is well known throughout Malaysia. The Malay villagers are Muslims. They worship at a mosque in the village. The main festivals held in the village are Chinese New Year, Lantern festivals and dumpling festival. These are festivals are celebrated by the Chinese worldwide. The Indians celebrate Deepavali, temple festival and Karthigai. Malays celebrate Hari Raya Haji and Hari Raya Aidilfitri. 6

8 Indian temple in Padang Tengku 7

9 EDUCATION There are two kindergartens in Padang Tengku: Rukun Tetangga Kindergarten and Tabika Kemas. Rukun Tetangga Kindergarten has below 20 students and 2 teachers. Tabika Kemas has two teachers and more than 20 students. This kindergarten has a playground and a field where children can play. Both kindergartens are run by the government. Tabika Kemas in Padang Tengku There are two primary schools in Padang Tengku: One is SJK (C) Padang Tengku and SRK Padang Tengku. SJK(C) Padang Tengku has a small basketball court, canteen, library, ICT room, teacher s office and classrooms. It has over 100 students and fewer than 10 teachers. SRK Padang Tengku has a bigger enrolment of over 400 students and more than 40 teachers. This school has a big field which is used for the annual sports day, football and hockey matches. It has a canteen, a school hall, a teacher s office and classrooms. Normally students from this school continue their studies in SMK Padang Tengku. 8

10 SJK(C) Padang Tengku There are two secondary schools in Padang Tengku: SMK Padang Tengku and SM Agama Padang Tengku. SM Agama Padang Tengku has over 800 students and more than 40 teachers. SMK Padang Tengku has more than 1000 students and more than 70 teachers. Each of these schools has a field, a canteen, a library, a computer lab, a hostel, offices and classroom. Students in both schools sit for the PMR and SPM examinations. A common problem they face is the shortage of teachers. After secondary school, some students further their studies in the university. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman is a popular choice among Chinese villagers of Padang Tengku. 9

11 SMK Padang Tengku Library of SMK Padang Tengku 10

12 SM Agama Padang Tengku 11

13 INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES Mr. Tan Kok Ong expressed his unfailing gratitude towards the government and sponsors who have contributed much to the community in Padang Tengku. He informed us that if villagers submit formal complaints, these complaints are dealt with within 2 working days. A meeting of the village committee is held once a month when all complaints are listed. The Jabatan Bekalan Air (JBA) provides piped water to the village. This includes water for washing and cooking. The water supplied comes from underground water and is clean. Electricity is generated from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) substations and every household is able to enjoy this service. During rainy days, electricity in certain areas in Padang Tengku may be affected due to the lightning. However, any problems with electricity supply is promptly addressed when reports are made to TNB. Alam Flora is responsible for collecting rubbish in Padang Tengku and for keeping the environment clean. Garbage collection occurs daily. Sewage disposal Padang Tengku is managed by Indah Water. Flush toilets are used in all houses. Telecommunication services are provided by Telekom Malaysia (TM), Digi and Celcom and these services are generally reliable. There is transmission tower near the village. Some mobile operator networks may be interrupted on rainy days, but services are resumed soon after the rain has stopped. There are private clinics as well as a government-run clinic in Padang Tengku. The government clinic provides good medical care and its services are free for seniors citizens. This clinic has 2 doctors, 3 medical assistants and 15 nurses. There is also a police station in the village. According to Mr. Tan, the local police is quite effective in fighting crime. 12

14 Padang Tengku government clinic Padang Tengku police station 13

15 MCA office in Padang Tengku Because of its multi-ethnic population, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, masjid and surau are built for convenience of all. Even burial grounds for people of different faiths are available. Padang Tengku has shops, stalls and markets which sell groceries and other goods to villagers. Wet markets are always open during the day and night markets operate at least twice a week. Fruits and vegetables are considered inexpensive here as they are harvested by some of the villagers and sold in bulk to customers. 14

16 Padang Tengku Railway Station Most villagers travel by motorcycle or walk to their destinations. Some villagers own private cars. Public bus service resumed a few months ago. Government offices in the village include the Pejabat Pertanian and RISDA. There are new housing projects in the village currently. 15

17 PROBLEMS During rainy days, telecommunication signals are barely detected. Since most residents do not have a landline, they find it difficult to make emergency contact on rainy days. Electricity shut-downs are also common in Padang Tengku if it is a rainy day, and villagers are dissatisfied with the service. Furthermore, the absence of a proper drainage system has created problems for residents. The river near Padang Tengku can sometimes overflow its banks and cause flooding. Residents are therefore demanding a proper drainage system in the village to deal with this situation. Villagers are generally satisfied with the schools with the school in Padang Tengku. Students are believed to be treated well by the teachers and they receive full support from the government for study aids and equipment. Residents are also pleased with the sponsorships received from several NGO s to assist them in their work and daily endeavours. Security and safety measures in the village are handled by the police officers who attend to crime and investigations at a fast and steady pace. Last but not least, health concerns in the village are handled very well in the clinics provided. Constant spraying of mosquito repellents are practiced in the village to inhibit germination of Aedes mosquito larvae. Medical checkups are available in the clinics for the good of all residents in Padang Tengku. 16

18 RECOMMENDATIONS Investors are often not aware of opportunities in Padang Tengku and they may be discouraged by its rural image. Perhaps the authorities could highlight and publicize investment opportunities in this village to encourage outsiders to set up new businesses here. The government needs to look into the drainage system with the objective of mitigating flooding in this village. This is a major concern among villagers. Interviewing Mr. Tan Kok Ong 17

19 The students present a souvenir to Mr. Tan DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this report was compiled by the University s students on voluntary basis. Although every effort has been made to check the accuracy of the report, the University accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any errors or omissions, if any, the University reserves the right to make changes on the information at any time without prior notice. Should there be any queries regarding contents of the report, please contact: Department of Soft Skills Competency Tel: ext 8274, 8656, ext 2297/2299/2300 (Klang Valley Campus) (Perak Campus) 18