Former rubbish site now a thriving garden in Prai
Turning a former rubbish dumpsite in Prai, Penang, into a pesticide-free, flourishing urban garden was no easy task for Perai Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) chairman S. Sri Sangar.
However, with funding from Think City and All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM)-Sustainable Development Goals, the 0.2ha site belonging to Seberang Perai City Council was turned into a community garden.
Sri Sangar named the garden Kebun Rasa Sayang to represent a sense of love, affection and community togetherness.
Residents from nearby Taman Perai Utama, especially the B40 group, can now enjoy the garden's harvest free of charge.
'With the help of Cultivate Central's Urban Permaculture team in Penang, we successfully regenerated and transformed the space into a thriving food garden,' said Sri Sangar.
'Work began in January, and included soil rehabilitation for long-term health, community workshops, and careful plant selection.
'It took two to three weeks just to repair the soil, and we only started planting the first batch of plants about a month later.
'MPKKP members together with the local residents planted 32 types of vegetables, fruits and herbs.
'The land was previously filled with rubble, construction debris, discarded waste and overgrown weeds,' he said.
He added that harvesting began between late April and June.
Sri Sangar said weekly harvests yielded about 30kg to 40kg of vegetables, which were distributed to residents.
Perai MPKK will soon begin the second phase of replanting.
'We have our own compost station. Compost is made using bundles of flower stems collected from nearby florists and garden waste such as dried leaves.
'Our plants are not sprayed with any chemical pesticides.
'We only use neem oil on affected plants when necessary,' said Sri Sangar.
'We are not completely free of pests, but that is okay.
'A healthy ecosystem includes the presence of some pests.
'However, we ensure that the pest issue is under control before it becomes a serious problem,' he added. — By K. KASTURI DEWI
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Former rubbish site now a thriving garden in Prai
Perai MPKK and Taman Perai Utama residents frequently collect garden waste to be used as natural compost for the community garden located in the village. Turning a former rubbish dumpsite in Prai, Penang, into a pesticide-free, flourishing urban garden was no easy task for Perai Village Community Management Council (MPKKP) chairman S. Sri Sangar. However, with funding from Think City and All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM)-Sustainable Development Goals, the 0.2ha site belonging to Seberang Perai City Council was turned into a community garden. Sri Sangar named the garden Kebun Rasa Sayang to represent a sense of love, affection and community togetherness. Residents from nearby Taman Perai Utama, especially the B40 group, can now enjoy the garden's harvest free of charge. 'With the help of Cultivate Central's Urban Permaculture team in Penang, we successfully regenerated and transformed the space into a thriving food garden,' said Sri Sangar. 'Work began in January, and included soil rehabilitation for long-term health, community workshops, and careful plant selection. 'It took two to three weeks just to repair the soil, and we only started planting the first batch of plants about a month later. 'MPKKP members together with the local residents planted 32 types of vegetables, fruits and herbs. 'The land was previously filled with rubble, construction debris, discarded waste and overgrown weeds,' he said. He added that harvesting began between late April and June. Sri Sangar said weekly harvests yielded about 30kg to 40kg of vegetables, which were distributed to residents. Perai MPKK will soon begin the second phase of replanting. 'We have our own compost station. Compost is made using bundles of flower stems collected from nearby florists and garden waste such as dried leaves. 'Our plants are not sprayed with any chemical pesticides. 'We only use neem oil on affected plants when necessary,' said Sri Sangar. 'We are not completely free of pests, but that is okay. 'A healthy ecosystem includes the presence of some pests. 'However, we ensure that the pest issue is under control before it becomes a serious problem,' he added. — By K. KASTURI DEWI
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'The government allocated RM1bil under Budget 2025 for the maintenance and repair of schools and educational institutions nationwide,' it said. In the news June 25 - Over 700 fire-hazard abatement (MBK) notices were issued to schools nationwide from 2024 to april this year for failing to meet fire safety standards, said JBPM. - Of the 853 schools inspected, 144 received a total of 767 notices. - Pahang topped the list with 201 notices, followed by Perak (82) and Kuala Lumpur (75). - MBKs are usually issued for issues such as faulty firefighting equipment, and absence of exit signs or emergency lighting. June 6 Malaysia is committed to strengthening school disaster resilience under the national disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030, said deputy Prime Minister datuk Seri dr ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the 'Safe Schools' Ministerial Roundtable at the global Platform for disaster Risk Reduction in geneva, Switzerland. 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'Establish a School Emergency Response Team consisting of trained teachers, staff and students, and hold disaster awareness sessions with parents and local communities,' he added. According to Nor Hisham, JBPM has been actively involved in conducting emergency preparedness and disaster response programmes in schools across the country (see infographic). 'These are carried out in collaboration with the Education Ministry and other agencies to ensure that students and teachers are prepared to face emergency situations,' he shared. Bomba training initiatives for the young Fire Cadets or Junior Firefighters Clubs - Uniformed unit programme offered in primary and secondary schools by the Education Ministry in collaboration with JBPM - Students trained in basic fire safety, such as foot drills, hose handling and emergency procedures - Goal: Prepare students for fires and emergencies while instilling discipline Fire drill simulations - Simulate real emergency scenarios to test the preparedness of students and staff Building evacuation drills - Involve all school members in practising proper evacuation and early emergency response Source: JBPM director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad Fire statistics in Malaysian educational institutions Educational institutions classified into 10 categories: Preschools (government & private), primary schools (government & private), secondary schools (government & private), boarding schools, tahfiz schools. public institutes of higher learning (IPTA), and private institutes of higher learning (IPTS) Source: Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM)
