Aimed at providing UTAR students with the platform to learn about history, population and housing, economic activities, education, social, cultural and religious practices, problems, recommendations, tourism value, and entrepreneurship opportunities, UTAR Department of Soft Skills Competency of Kampar Campus organised a New Village Survey Tour to Penang and Kedah on 7 and 8 January 2023.

The survey programme is a sub-programme parked under the main UTAR New Village Community Project.

Accompanied by three DSSC staff, the tour was participated by 11 students. The group visited a total of six villages, namely Kampung Jawi, Kampung Valdor, Kampung Wellesley and Kampung Changkat in Penang; and Kampung Kilang Sago and Kampung Kelang Lama in Kedah. Rich with the elements of history and culture, each village had its own uniqueness and cultural gems to treasure.

“Touring and surveying new places can be fun as it enables students to learn. As they tour and survey the New Villages, they learn about the uniqueness of the villages by interacting with the residents. It is interesting to know that the programme can break students’ misperceptions of the New Villages. Once they are there, it becomes a whole new world where they can learn more and experience new things. It was truly rewarding because students were able to see how sustainability is practised in the New Villages, thus they were able to learn about sustainable actions. Certainly, for the students themselves, they would acquire communication, creativity, problem-solving, entrepreneurial and analytical skills,” said DSSC Kampar Head Hee Chwen Yee.

The New Village Survey tour aimed to provide students with the opportunity to appreciate the values of New Villages; allow students to interact with the New Village community; promote tourism in New Villages; contribute to the economic growth of the New Villages and promote UTAR New Village Community Project.