AKHBAR / NEWSPAPER:THE STAR
SEKSYEN / SECTION: NEWS
TARIKH / DATE:30-Apr-2005
HARI / DAY: SABTU (SAT)
ISU / ISSUE:KERAJAAN TEMPATAN
MUKA SURAT / PAGE: 8
TAJUK / TITLE: Best PJ area contest is on again


THE Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) Best Neighbourhood Competition is pack with development grants worth RM120,000 up for grabs.

The competition is open to all residents associations (RA), Rukun Tetangga (RT) and village development and security committees (JKKK), and the winner will receive a development grant worth RM50,000, while the second and third-placed organisations will get RM40,000 and RM30,000 respectively.

The fourth edition of the competiion carries the theme "Sustainable Community Initiative" and takes into account all activities that took place in 2004.

Selangor town planning department director Datin Paduka Dr Halimaton Saadiah Hashim is the head judge again. There are also more judges this year because the number of participants this time around is expected to increase. Over a hundred RA, RT and JKKK representatives received the entry forms during the launch of the competition recently.

As part of the launch, Dr Halimaton spoke on the points that the judges would be looking for in the competition." Although the presentation is entitled 'How To Win The Competition', the points are good examples for the creation of a sustainable community and will help your community become a better place; "Dr Halimaton told the residents' representatives.

A presentation by previous winners of the competition was also held in which they highlighted their achievements. During the question-and-answer segment, Kota Damansara Section 6 residents association secretary Alpadzul Abu Hassan declared that his association would nottake part in the competition to give a chance to other neighbourhoods.

Alpadzul also offered to give residents-based organisations a tour of Kota Damansara Section 6 and the projects that had helped the association become the competition winner in 2002 and 2003.

Launching the competition, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Azizah Datuk S.P. Mohd Dun said MPPJ's choice to run the competition was in line with the objective of improving the service delivery to the public.

"Under the 9th Malaysia Plan, the ministry will bring LA21 ((Local Agenda 21) to all local governments because it is through this programme that the community and private sector can together plan and manage their own areas towards sustainable development and a better quality of life.

"To show the ministry's support for the competition, Azizah announced a contribution of RM52,000 to the LA21 programme.

Also present during the launch were MPPJ president Datuk Ahmad Termizi Puteh and LA21 Social Integration Committee chairman Datuk Lim Choon Kin.