Need for neighborhood based community work

Dato Siva sharing some thoughts. On his right is Hindu Sangam Nathan and on his left is MIC Selangor Subra

Desa Mentari in Petaling Jaya is a highly densely populated neighborhood. The area about ten years ago was filled with squatter houses. These areas were redeveloped into high rise low cost residential areas in the last five years or so.

Last night (Jan 13, 2011),  Dato Siva Subramaniam and myself visited block 9 and 10 where there are 1,100 units. We found it difficult to find parking and the area was really congested. The visit was facilitated by Hindu Sangam volunteers who run a tuition program and have regular contacts with the people here.

A local leader Maran, who is on a motorized wheelchair, heads a local organization (Perstauan Kebajikan Kaun India Desa Mentari). Years back YSS had very closed contact with the folks here especially during the Kg Medan ethnic clash as the families were previously living in the KTM Rumah Panjang nearby the current flats. YSS through the assistance of Dato Seri Samy Vellu built two classrooms in the temple grounds and ran a computer centre and the National Unity Department organized a pre school program.

At Desa Mentari block 9 & 10 there are over 600 Indian families with an estimated population of over 3,000 people. Dato Siva spoke to them about the importance of documentation and citizenship rights. The local community leaders informed us that there were ten block of flats and that they will invite key leaders from the area for a briefing on the ‘my daftar campaign’. They told us that there were many individuals who were undocumented. We fixed another day to revisit the neighborhood area and will be back there on Jan 28, 2011 (Friday) at 8.30pm

The locals told us that there were different groupings such as RT, residents association but they were all not very active. As this is where the poor and low income families live, focusing therefore in these locations is very necessary. Enabling and empowering local leadership to take ownership is very important and is the sustainable way. There is therefore an urgent need to establish neighborhood based teams especially among those who live these neighborhoods.

Local leadership development is imperative and the Taskforce needs to develop some training modules along this line and identify all highly densely Indian populated neighborhoods for community transformation initiatives.