UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: SALENG 沙令 JOHOR

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1 UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME OF NEW VILLAGE: SALENG 沙令 JOHOR Project carried out by: Name of student ID Number Course Year /Semester Tan Hean Pang Financial Economic Y1S1 DATE OF COMPLETION: JANUARY 2014

2 ABSTARCT Saleng was established in It s located in the district of Johor Bahru in the state of Johor. Towns close to this new village are Kulai and Johor Bahru. The main attractions in Saleng are its mosques and temples. Its main economic activities are industrial and agricultural activities. Saleng 1

3 INTRODUCTION Saleng is located in Johor Bahru, Johor. Nearby towns include: Kulai which is 5km northwest from Saleng. Johor Bahru which is 28km southeast from Saleng. The village is surrounded by oil palm estates. The local mosque and temples are its main tourist attractions. Its current population is approximately When the village was founded in 1951, it had a population of only around Over the years, the population increased. However, in recent years, many villagers have migrated to Singapore in search of better employment opportunities. This is the reason behind its declining population in recent years. I interviewed the Village Head, Mr.Zheng, and his old friend, Mr Zhang. 2

4 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES SALENG The main sources of income in Saleng are as follows: Industrial Activities: In recent years, many rubber plantations have been cleared and factories are constructed. There are many opportunities for future investment because this village is not far from the capital city and its upgraded infrastructures can accommodate many new factories. Agriculture. This is the traditional source of income for Saleng villagers and it continues to support many families in the village. 3

5 SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS PRACTICES Saleng s population is dominated by the Chinese (88%), followed by the Malays (7%) and Indians (4%). The main languages spoken in this village are the Hakka dialect and mandarin. The age breakdown of Saleng s 20,000 residents is as follows: 23% in the 0-14 age group, 70% in the age group and 7% in the 65± age group. Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Hinduisms are practised in Saleng. This religions diversity is reflected in its 6 mosques, 3 Chinese temples, 2 Hindu temples and 4 churches. Catholic Church in Saleng One of the Chinese temple in Saleng 4

6 A mosque in Saleng In addition to the religious festivals, other festivals held at the village include the Chinese New year (also known as Spring Festival) and the Mid-autumn festival. These 2 festivals celebrated by the Chinese. During Chinese New Year, villagers hang red papercut outs and scrolls on their doors, and play with firecrackers and beat Chinese drums, especially when lion dances are performed. The colour red and loud noises are believed to drive away a mythical monster who prayed on villagers in the olden days. Red envelopes are passed out from married couples to children and people typically wear new clothes from head to toe symbolize a new beginning in the brand new year. The history of the Mid-autumn festival is just as interesting. The ancient Chinese emperors worshiped the moon in autumn and believed that it would bring them a plentiful harvest the next year. People celebrate by serving mooncakes to family members, carrying lanterns and playing with fireworks. 5

7 EDUCATION SALENG Saleng has the following education institutions: 1 kindergarten with around 200 students and 13 teachers 1 primary school, namely SJK(C)Saleng; well-equipped facilities; over 1000 students in the school; number of students still rising because this is the only primary school available in the village. Unfortunately, there is an absence of secondary schools in the village. Villages have to spend time and money sending their children to SMK Senai, the secondary school closest (8 km away) to Saleng. The front gate of SJK(C) Saleng. 6

8 INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES SALENG Medical facilities available in the village are: 1 public clinic and 3 private clinics. One of the private clinics in Saleng Public clinic in Saleng. Besides the clinics, other facilities available include a post office, a police hut, a children s playground, a basketball court, a driving schools, a public hall, a community hall and an old folks home. Most of the facilities and amenities are well maintained. The village would benefit from the setting up of a police station and a hospital. 7

9 Public hall in Saleng Basketball court in Saleng Community hall in Saleng 8

10 Police hut in Saleng Car driving school in Saleng A small playground in Saleng 9

11 Security in Saleng needs improvement. The lack of a police station means that there are very few police personnel in the village and there is no police patrol at night. The road system in this village is satisfactory. There are quite a number of speed bumps along the road to control the speed of motor vehicles. The drainage system is in good condition. It is managed by Indah Water Konsortium, which provides good sewerage services within the village area. Garbage collection in Saleng is adequate. 10

12 PROBLEM SALENG The main problems faced by Saleng are as follows: Absence of secondary school: This causes considerable inconvenience to parents and their children who have to commute 8km to the nearest school. Absence of police station: The lack of police personnel is a factor leading to the increase in crime rate. Absence of a hospital. The local clinics are not adequately equipped to handle serious illness and emergencies. 11

13 RECOMMENDATIONS SALENG In relation to the opportunities and problems mentioned above the following recommendations are made. 1. The government should fund a hospital in this village. Alternatively it could improve facilities for transport of emergency cases to nearby towns. 2. Ideally, a police station should be built in Saleng. Frequent police patrols will help in fighting crime. 3. The village needs a secondary school and/or improved public transport to secondary schools in nearby towns. 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, 8269 (Klang Valley Campus) ext 2297/2299/2300 (Perak Campus) 12