Nilai

1

UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT

REPORT

NAME OF NEW VILLAGE:

NILAI尼来

NEGERI SEMBILAN

Project carried out by:

Student Name Student ID Course Year /

Semester

1. JAYATHESWARY

RUTHIRAYINI D/O

PANEERSELVOM

10UHF06882 Foundation In Arts Y1S3

2. DAKSAYANI D/O

GOPALAN

10UHF06703 Foundation In Arts Y1S3

3. KALAIVANI D/O

RAMASAMY

10UHF06834 Foundation In Arts Y1S3

4. MISSANTHENI D/O

SIVAGURUNATHAN

10UHF07103 Foundation In Arts Y1S3

5. PURANI DEVI D/O

MOORTHIE

10UHF06435 Foundation In Arts Y1S3

DATE OF COMPLETION:

JUNE 2011

Nilai

2

HISTORY

Kampung Baru Nilai was established in1945 .This village is situated beside Jalan

Terminal Nilai. The site was once surrounded by swamps, mud, weeds and with tall

trees. This village is populated largely by the Chinese community. In 1945, the

government took over the land from the communists and developed it to place the

Chinese community. In the early period, there were only few houses in this village

but with the passage of time, the village population has increased. Hakka is the

predominant language of the village. Majority of the villagers were rubber tappers. In

2007, at the request of Majlis Perbandaran Seremban, the village was renamed

„Kampung Seri Nilai‟. Currently there are 176 houses with 1600 villagers staying in

them.

The Entrance signboard of

Kampung Baru Nilai

Nilai

3

HOUSING AND POPULATION

In the past, the village was sparsely populated with only a small number of houses.

After the government took over the village, the population in the village rose to

nearly 1600 people and the number of houses increased to 176.

This village is largely populated by “Hakka” Chinese (about 90%), with a few Indian

and Malay families. According to the head of the village, there are about 10 houses

which are occupied by Indians.

Kampung Baru Nilai has a variety of houses - wooden houses, concrete houses,

wooden and concrete houses. Some bungalows are also found here.

Example of a wooden house in the village

Nilai

4

Example of a concrete house in the village

Example of wooden and concrete house in the village

Nilai

5

Picture of one of the few bungalow houses in the village

Nilai

6

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

The Kampung Baru Nilai residents are engaged in moderate level economic activities.

Some stalls in the village which have been operating for the past 50 years, sell food

and drinks at reasonable prices. Their customers are mainly local residents and people

from neighbouring villages

There is one famous coffee shop in this village which has also been operating for

about 50 years called “Kedai Kopi Sin Hup Foh”. The villagers sell handmade

noodles and other food in this shop.

Nilai

7

Morning scenario of Kedai Kopi Sin Hup Foh

Some villagers maintain small farms around their house. They have planted banana,

sugar cane and jack fruit trees. The farm products are usually sold in the nearby

market.

Besides that, some the villagers also prepare food used during prayers and sell it

during the festival season. The type of food that they usually prepare includes moon

cakes and biscuits for the Chinese New Year.

Nilai

8

A jack fruit tree in one of the villager’s house.

A mango tree in

the village

Sugar cane

plants and

banana trees in

the village

Nilai

9

EDUCATION

The educational institutions in Kampung Baru Nilai range from kindergarten to

primary and secondary schools. There are two kindergartens in Kampung Baru Nilai

which are “Tadika Kampung Baru Nilai” and “Tadika Bistari Jaya”. Most of the

parents in this village send their children to these kindergartens.

Front view of

Tadika Bistari

Jaya.

There are two primary schools nearby this village - SJK (T) Nilai and SJK (C) Kuo

Min Nilai.

Front view of SJK (T) Nilai

Nilai

10

Front view of SJK

(C) Kuo Min

The basketball court at

SJK (C) Kuo Min

SJK (C) was established in 1919. At that time, the school had only one classroom

with an enrolment of 30 students. In 1952, public figures raised large sums of money

to expand classrooms and school facilities as the student population had increased to

440 pupils‟. In 2001, the government built a new building for the school to cater for

Nilai

11

the increasing number of students. Today, there are 697 students and 41 teachers in

this school. 20% of the students are Malays and 30% are Indians. It is a single

session school. There are 3-4 classes in every standard and there are 21 classes in the

school. According to the principal, the school always strives to improve the students‟

performances.

An award received by the school for

good examination record in 2009

In the afternoon, the school conducts tuition classes from 4.15 pm. Besides

that, the students are streamed based on their performances in their exams. In 2009,

this school was recognized by Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Sembilan for good

examination results for the year. The majority of the students continue their

secondary studies in SMK Dato‟ Mohd Said. According to Mr. Law the principal of

the school, the school is planning to have a preschool but the school is encountering

problems of limited area.

There is one secondary school near Kampung Baru Nilai which is SMK Dato‟ Mohd

Said. This school was established in 1964 with 3 classes and 230 students .The

Nilai

12

school‟s students were placed temporarily at SRJK (Inggeris) Labu Hilir. In 1966,

three blocks of new buildings were constructed to meet the increasing number of

students enrolled in the school. In the early stage, the school had only one session but

in 1968 the school had to start the afternoon session to meet the demand of student

populace.

Front view of SMK Dato’ Mohd Said

Nilai

13

Social, Cultural and Religious Practice

Social

As we spoke to the Head of the Village, Dato‟ Ee Sheong and some of the residents

there such as Madam Goh, we realized that the people of Kg Baru Nilai were very

friendly and down to earth. The residents there were cooperative and helpful when we

did our research about their village. The residents in Kg. Baru Nilai are mostly

Chinese. About 70% are Hakka and the others are Hokkien, Cantonese and Tiew

Chuan. A small percentage of Indian and Christian community resides there.

The 176 houses in the village are largely populated by aged adults as most of

youngsters have migrated to places such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and even

overseas to further their studies and to work. According to Dato‟Ee Sheong, the

village is a calm and quiet place as the residents there carry on with their daily chores.

Cultural

Chinese New Year is the major festival celebrated by most of the residents there. In

conjunction with Chinese New Year, a Grand Dinner sponsored by the Barisan

Nasional, is usually organized by the village committee members. Other celebrations

such as Deepavali and Christmas are not celebrated on a grand scale in this village as

there are very few residents who are celebrating the festivals.

Nilai

14

Religious Practice

There are only two Chinese temples in Kg. Baru Nilai. Most of the residents pray at

their own small temples outside their houses. Only during special occasions such as

Wesak Day, they w go to the Chinese temple to offer their prayers.

Close to Kg.Baru Nilai, there is an Indian temple called “Arulmigu Subramaniar

Temple” and a Catholic church known as “St.Theresa Church” to cater for the

minority Indian and Christian communities. There is also a mosque located about

1km from the village.

Group photo with

Dato Ee Sheong, the

Head of the Village

Group photo with Madam Goh

(a resident in the village)

Nilai

15

Two Chinese Temple

(Tokong Cina)

The Indian Temple “Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple”

Nilai

16

Business Opportunities

The residents in Kg. Baru Nilai are mostly hawkers, factory workers and

businessmen. The ladies in the village are mostly housewives. They plant vegetables

and fruits in their own gardens. Hence the rate employment in the village is low.

We managed to interview one of the entrepreneurs there who manages a car cushion

repair workshop “Pusat Membaiki Kusyen Kereta Hawamas” which has been in

operation for almost 10 years. The owner, Mr. Law Kim Thin, says that it‟s very

difficult to see youngsters who want to learn new things and work hard here as most

of them are looking for high income and would not stay long to learn a trade. There

are only two workers in his workshop. There is only one old coffee shop in the village

and one sundry shop near the village. Otherwise the villagers have travel far to

purchase things.

Nilai

17

There is no hair salon in this village as the villager‟s crop their own hair. The hawkers

here sell food for auspicious occasions (usually for a limited period of time only), sell

noodles and so on. Besides that, the residents in the village also work in a factory

located near the village.

Car cushion repair shop “Pusat Membaiki Kusyen Kereta Hawamas”

Nilai

18

One of the factories in Kg. Baru Nilai

Oldest Coffee Shop “ Kedai Kopi Sin Hup Foh” in Kg Baru Nilai

Nilai

19

Tourism

Nilai Square 2 which is close to Kg Baru Nilai, is undoubtedly a wholesale, tourist

and shopping paradise that offers a wide variety of items at very attractive and

competitive prices. It is undeniably a household name for textile and wholesale

shopping.

There are many textile shops near the village which attract tourists to visit to the

place. We managed to interview Mr.Alex Khoo, a consultant adviser at Jelita Textile

Sdn Bhd which specializes in Japanese cotton. According to him, Jelita Textile is not

only famous among locals but also foreigners.

rows of textile shops in Nilai 2

Nilai

20

Various types of cotton

available here such as

“Grade A” and

“Germany Viscose”

Picture of “Casarubia” cotton

Nilai

21

Group picture with consultant

adviser of Jelita Textile Sdn

Bhd

Besides that, there are various sprawling malls and modern stores displaying quality

goods and branded products. Nilai Square and Nilai 3 which are located near

Kampung Baru Nilai are two of the most important shopping hubs in Nilai. Tourists

Nilai

22

like shopping at the Giant Hypermarket and Mydin. The former is the place where

you can get to see fresh local produce including seasonal fruits and vegetables. A

whole range of seafood is made available in this market. Mydin is the place which

sells commodities such as electronic goods, watches, electrical products, bags, shoes,

stationeries, kitchen appliances, bath accessories, perfumes, car accessories, junk

jewelries, and other household goods.

Picture of “Giant” and

“Mydin Mart”

Nilai

23

Problems encountered by the villagers

The main problem in this village is the road system. The roads in this village are very

narrow. Only one vehicle can go along a road at any one time. Therefore, it can be

hazardous to other road users if heavy vehicles such as lorries, vans and school busses

ply the narrow roads.

Furthermore, the villagers often became victims of dengue fever. It happens because

the village is not very clean. We found rubbish near the bushes, in the drain and along

the road. Such unhealthy conditions affect the villagers‟ health.

Besides that, the village also doesn‟t have a public phone booth. Although, most of

the villagers have phones in their houses or possess their personal mobile phones, the

consequences of not having a public phone may be drastic for the poor or the aged

especially during emergencies.

A narrow road in the village and rubbish thrown along the road

Nilai

24

RECOMMENDATIONS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS

Narrow road

Widen the road to make it easier for the public to travel in the village

Dengue fever

There is a lot of rubbish along the roads and in the drains. Aedes mosquitoes

that cause dengue fever breed in these places. Therefore, we would like to

suggest oregular cleaning of drains and roads to overcome such problems.

Public phones

A public phone should be installed in the village. Eventhough most of the

villagers have handphones or home telephones with them, it would be safer

for the villagers to have a public phone especially during emergencies.

DISCLAIMER:

Information contained in this report was compiled by the University‟s students on voluntary basis. Although every

effort has been made to check the accuracy of the report, the University accepts no responsibility whatsoever for

any errors or omissions, if any, the University reserves the right to make changes on the information at any time

without prior notice.

Should there be any queries regarding contents of the report, please contact:

Department of Soft Skills Competency

Tel: 03-79582628 ext 8274 (Klang Valley Campus)

05- 4688888 ext 2297/2299 (Perak Campus)

Nilai

25