STP pilot study for Sarikei neighbourhood
SARIKEI: Taman Susur Jambu here has become the pilot in Sarawak for the Social Transformation Programme (STP) – established under the ‘My Beautiful Neighbourhood’ (MyBN) initiative of the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).
The STP was launched at Masjid Darul Sa’adah in the residential estate yesterday, where Fire and Rescue Department head of building certification section SAC Haron Tahir, state Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Mad Ali Bahudin and its assistant director (fire safety section) Mohd Zaki Omar, Central Zone Fire and Rescue chief Abdul Mutalib Rashid and local community leaders were among those present.
According to Sarikei Resident Dr Anthony Valentine Laiseh, the main objectives of STP are the creation of pleasant neighbourhoods through involvement of the whole community, as well as that sense of responsibility among them in the aspects of security, cleanliness and social wellbeing.
“The programme is also aimed at promoting the spirit of volunteerism, which is among key contributing factors to the success of STP. On this, I wish to commend the Fire and Rescue Department on their choice of Taman Susur Jambu as the pioneer of STP in Sarawak,” Dr Anthony said in his speech, which was read by deputy Sarikei Resident (Social) Abang Mohd Porkan Abang Budiman at the event.
Under STP, there are six subsidiary programmes – ‘Safe Town’ (Bandar Selamat), Community Fire Brigade, Rakan Taman (Friends of the Park), the 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Community, Communication for Behavioural Impact (Combi), and Environmental Health.
Adding on, Dr Anthony said the implementation of STP was also based on the feedback from the community and other relevant agencies such as Sarikei District Council (SDC), police and Health Department
“This is in parallel with the theme of MyBN.”
On NBOS, Dr Anthony said the initiative was introduced by the government in 2010 with the aim of enhancing its delivery system through the pooling of resources from various ministries, departments and agencies – both state and federal.
“The most beautiful part of NBOS is its ability to produce fast and high-impact results with minimal costs,” he said.
Dr Anthony said he learned that between July 2012 and last year, the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry had helped repair 66 units of lowcost houses, as well as rebuild 89 houses destroyed by fires at 155 MyBN locations nationwide.
“I’m also glad to learn that the ministry spent RM1,772,814 for repair works on low-cost houses, roads and drainage as well as the construction of a futsal court at Taman Susur Jambu last year,” he added.
In view of encouraging impact of the programme, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had decided to extend MyBN to another 54 locations this year, said Dr Anthony – adding that a total of eight low-cost houses were in dire need of repairs and 46 houses destroyed by fire needed to be rebuilt at these 54 locations.
At the function yesterday, Abang Mohd Porkan presented certificates to 10 newly-formed local Community Fire Brigade units, as well as the Combi, Rakan Taman and the 3R Community of the neighbourhood.
He presented prizes to the winners of various competitions being held for the day.