Fifth UTAR-NUS New Village Collaborative Project

Prof Choong and Prof Teo with the nine NUS students, UTAR students and staff

UTAR’s Department of Soft Skills Competency (DSSC) in collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS) organised the fifth UTAR-NUS New Village Collaborative Project for a total of nine NUS students. The project ended with a closing ceremony at UTAR Kampar Campus on 28 December 2016.

The week-long project was conducted in three fishing villages in northern Perak, namely Kuala Gula, Bagan Seberang and Bagan Selatan, from 20 to 28 December 2016. This was the first collaborative project to take place in fishing villages.

The UTAR-NUS New Village Community Project served as a platform for participants from the two institutions to uncover certain aspects of these three fishing villages in Malaysia such as demography, economic development, social structure, community assets and cultural values.

Prof Choong introducing the UTAR New Village Community Project

In his closing remarks, UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong thanked NUS for its strong commitment and support for the project, the heads of the new villages for their support and patronage, and the participants for their active participation. As he introduced the history of new villages and the project he said, “The UTAR New Village Community Project began in 2009 and offers an expansive education for students through interactive learning and immersion in a new village setting to help broaden their outlook in community work, and to gain fresh perspectives on the significance of new villages in Malaysia. To date, the UTAR New Village Community Project has taken students to more than 500 new villages involving the participation of more than 8,000 local and international students.”

He added, “We encourage our staff and students to assist the villages and study their way of life and environment, and then try to give some suggestions or solutions to improve their standard of living. Besides that, we try to work with some corporations and companies to provide some assistance to popularise the villages, especially the ones that have certain commercialisable products, in the hope that this will increase demand and the income of the villagers.”

Prof Teo thanking members of UTAR and the villages at the closing ceremony

Also present was NUS Prof Albert Teo Chu Ying who took the opportunity to express his deep gratitude to all UTAR staff, students and villagers who supported and were involved in the project. He recollected, “In previous years, our research team have went to Perak, Kedah and Kelantan sequentially for social research studies every December since 2012. This year we returned to Perak, this time to fishing villages, different from the previous villages.” On the other hand, he looked forward to engaging with the UTAR students whom will visit NUS for a study trip this coming May. “For the past three years, NUS in return has received UTAR students for study trips. In the next trip, I will lead them to look at charities, social enterprises, and also to study community development and social entrepreneurship in the Singaporean context.”

He said, “The reality in Singapore is that we focus on financial capital, human capital and intellectual capital, but we lose out on other forms of capital. I hope our students will rediscover social capital, cultural capital, cultural practices, the human touch (人情味), the value of friendship, heritage and natural capital in the community during their week in the villages, and come to appreciate these qualities that were lost in the development of Singapore.”

Carmen Chia Jia Yun, a Psychology student from NUS said, “The field study has been an unforgettable experience for me. During the week we spent in Bagan Seberang, we had to do everything on our own, such as cooking and cycling to reach our destinations. I also appreciate the chance we got to learn of the environment, development and problems facing the village and villagers. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the villagers, UTAR staff and students whom taught and helped us during our field study in Malaysia.”

Yuka Hanaki, an intern of DSSC from Kwansei Gakuin University and helper for this project, said, “It was a valuable and eye-opening experience. There are no similar new villages in Japan and this was my first time visiting Malaysia’s new villages. I also gained valuable friendships with the villagers; they are very kind and enthusiastic. They also shared with me their travel experiences in Japan.”

Also present at the closing ceremony were Village Headman of Kampung Bagan Kuala Gula Tan Yew Piau, Head of DSSC Hee Chwen Yee, Faculty of Business and Finance Lecturer Kuek Thiam Yong, UTAR staff and students.

The closing ceremony ended with a certificate presentation by Prof Choong to the participants and a group photo taking session.

NUS students presenting on their findings

Prof Choong presenting a token appreciation to Prof Teo (left) and Tan (right)

Prof Choong presenting a certificate to Chia