MADANI ADOPTED VILLAGE OFFER RAY OF HOPE TO KAMPUNG TORONG LOGONG RESIDENTS

By Suraidah Roslan

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- In the past, every time an emergency occurred, especially at night, residents of Kampung Torong Logong in Pulau Gaya felt anxious about finding a boat to the mainland, even though it was only a 10-minute journey by sea.

The reason was the lack of a regular boat often caused difficulties for the residents here, but that anxiety is now over and will remain as just a memory.

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Through the MADANI Adopted Village Programme, the villagers have received a new boat with a capacity of 20 passengers, which not only facilitates daily affairs but also acts as a lifesaver during emergency situations.

The Chairman of Kelab Belia Inspirasi Kampung Torong Logong (Kampung Torong Logong Inspiration Youth Club), Azim Majalan, 36, said that before the facility was available, the 230 residents of the island often faced difficulties getting to the city center, especially at night.

"Previously, if there was an emergency in the middle of the night, it was difficult to get a boat because most skippers were already asleep, and the process of finding a boat took a long time.

"However, with this new boat under the KAM programme, it has brought a significant change to the lives of the island's residents," he told Bernama.

The KAM boat operator, Muhamirin Saratal, 49, said that the provision of the 20-passenger capacity boat not only provides job opportunities for youths as skippers and crew but also allows them to generate additional income through boat rental services.

He said they collaborate with tourism agencies to provide boat services for fishing or taking tourists to the island.

"The main use of this boat is for emergency cases such as transporting the sick or pregnant mothers at night because the regular ferry only operates until 9 pm. In addition, the boat is also used to drop off or pick up schoolchildren during the rainy season," he said.

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pulau Gaya student, Shyalmiyah Hassan, 17, said the KAM boat service also benefits students, especially during the rainy season, as it is used to take them to school.

"The boat journey is shorter compared to walking, which takes 30 minutes. So, with this transportation facility, school attendance during the rainy season is also better," she said.

In addition to the boat donation, various initiatives were also implemented under the programme, such as the construction of a jetty, a pedestrian walkway, the installation of solar lights, and the renovation of the surau (prayer hall). All these projects were completed and began to be used since Dec 2024 and residents here have received various benefits.

"There is also a concrete path that facilitates the movement of students heading to the jetty, unlike before when they had to trudge through the sandy surface," she said.

Syalmiyah also added that after the concrete pedestrian walkway was completed, many families began buying bicycles for their children to play with, simultaneously making use of the facility.

Besides that, it also provides space for residents to carry out light recreational activities more comfortably, usually after Subuh prayers and in the evening.

"In the past, the youths in this village preferred to play on their mobile phones in the evening," she said.

According to her, the residents have also started planning to develop tourism products to help the youth generate income by opening food stalls and selling handicraft.

Al-Quran and Fardu Ain Class (KAFA) Teacher, Mariati Jaka'al, 47, said the installation of solar lights allows residents to move around more safely at night, especially when buying kitchen necessities.

"Before, we walked in the dark, worried about wild animals. Now, with the solar lights, our movement at night is easier. Youths returning late from work no longer have to worry about walking in the dark.

Mariati said when the village was selected as one of the KAMs, the infrastructure facilities received by the villagers improved with another project under KAM, which is the tube well.

She said the construction of the tube well makes it easier for residents to get clean water supply for daily use, compared to before when they had to buy water in bulk at a price of about RM8 per barrel.

The development project under KAM in Kampung Torong Logong, Pulau Gaya, implemented by the Ministry of Digital, involves an allocation totaling RM2.4 million.

-- BERNAMA