NEARLY 2,000 PERMATA ARA RESIDENTS BENEFIT FROM SPA'S MADANI ADOPTED VILLAGE INITIATIVE

NIBONG TEBAL, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Nearly 2,000 residents of Kampung Permata Ara here have benefited directly from the Kampung Angkat MADANI (MADANI Adopted Village) initiative implemented by the Public Service Commission (SPA), including upgrading of basic facilities and community infrastructure as well as various skills training programmes.

SPA chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Jailani Muhamed Yunus said the initiative reflects the MADANI Government’s continued commitment to ensuring more equitable development for rural communities, in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement in Budget 2025.

“Although SPA is not a development agency, the trust placed in us by the government enables us to implement this project to the best of our ability. Without the allocation provided through the national budget, a project of this scale would not have been possible,” he said when officiating the handover ceremony of the MADANI Adopted Village project at Madrasah Permatang Ara here today.

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He said SPA received an allocation of RM1 million to carry out four main physical projects in the village, in addition to several supplementary initiatives under the MADANI Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme through a collaboration with GIATMARA.

The projects include upgrading the Madrasah Permatang Ara, which involves rebuilding the old structure into a safer, more comfortable and inclusive single-storey concrete building. The upgraded facility will also feature a new electrical wiring system, air-conditioning, as well as toilets designed for easy access for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and senior citizens.

In addition, upgrading works were carried out at Dewan Taman Kesumba to provide a more conducive space for community activities, along with the resurfacing of the road near the madrasah, improved lighting and the installation of solar lamps to enhance residents’ safety, especially at night.

The project also includes the construction of a pedestrian pathway at the cemetery adjacent to Masjid Baru (Utara) Sungai Bakap to facilitate visits and burial arrangements.

Ahmad Jailani said the reconstruction of the madrasah was the most significant component of the initiative, as the original wooden structure was old and no longer safe for use.

“After a technical assessment was conducted, we found that the building was no longer suitable, and a complete rebuild was necessary. As a result, the new madrasah is far more comfortable and able to accommodate community activities involving children, senior citizens and PwDs,” he said.

He added that GIATMARA participated through the TVET-On-the-Job Training approach, involving instructors and trainees from the electrical, electronics and mechatronics fields in carrying out smaller project components. This not only supported the overall development works but also provided trainees with valuable hands-on experience in real working conditions.

-- BERNAMA