Penampang's Taman Oriental open space revitalised as community hub
KOTA KINABALU (July 9): The Landscape and Sustainability Sector, Ministry of Local Government and Housing Sabah (KKTP) has taken a proactive role in initiating and preparing a proposal for funding the revitalisation of the 1.2 acres of open space at Taman Oriental, Penampang, under the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12).
The project is implemented through the Landscape Development Programme funded by the State Government, with the Penampang Municipal Council (MPP) serving as the implementing authority.
The designated open space transforms it into a social and recreational hub for the local community, serving as a benchmark and model for similar developments statewide.
Apart from Penampang, similar landscape enhancement projects have been implemented, including in Papar, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Tongod, Semporna, Nabawan and Kudat as part of the ministry's broader commitment to sustainable urban development throughout Sabah.
The initiative reflects KKTP's broader vision in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. These strategic initiatives reflect the ministry's enduring commitment to reimagining open spaces as functional, inclusive, and community-centric landscapes, enhancing urban liveability while strengthening environmental resilience across Sabah.
The Local Government and Housing Ministry is led by Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Joachim Gunsalam who is also Deputy Chief Minister 2.
The Landscape & Sustainability Sector is led by Nurulhayati Awang More who reports to Deputy Permanent Secretary II, Stanley Chong who in turn reports to Permanent Secretary Datuk Dr Jamili Nais.
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In Chinese families, cultural warnings loomed large: good sons don't join the army... for they may return in a wooden box. But Peter chose to go anyway. He left the safety of the classroom for the unknown of the parade ground, trading books for boots, guided not by rebellion, but by a quiet sense of duty and the hope of something larger — the birth of a nation. After a rigorous selection at the Malay Regiment headquarters in Port Dickson, Peter was eventually among the 12 young men handpicked by General Sir Gerald Templer, the British high commissioner of Malaya, to serve as an officer in the new regiment. They would become the founding pioneers of what was to be Malaysia's multiracial armed force — a group history would come to know as the "Templer Superb-12". On Aug 13, 1952, the officer cadets were personally welcomed by Templer at The King's House in Kuala Lumpur. From Port Dickson's 5th Mile Coast Road to Eaton Hall in Cheshire, England, their journey began in earnest. 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