UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME …
Transcript of UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT REPORT NAME …
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UTAR NEW VILLAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT
REPORT
NAME OF NEW VILLAGE:
BERTAM VALLEY
PAHANG
Project carried out by:
Student Name ID Number Course Year / Semester
1. Sabeatra A/P
Selvarajoo
1500838 Business
Administration
Year 4 Semester 1
2. Aki Umehara 1900835 Business
Administration
Year 1 Semester 1
3. Lai Hong Yee - - -
DATE OF COMPLETION:
NOVEMBER 2019
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ABSTRACT
Bertam Valley, formerly known as Bertram Village, was established in 1948. Agriculture
is one of the many economic activities conducted here for years. Since this village revolves around
agricultural-based activities, many of the villagers work as farmers. Farmers here are known for
their ginger crops, as the ginger produced is fresh and a delight when used in cooking. It is a village
that is on the edge of transformation, meaning usage of modern-day agricultural technologies is
high. This is mainly to produce vegetables grown in the highlands.
A view of the valley from the village
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INFRASTRUCTURES
Infrastructures have long been available in Bertam Valley. There are several local
organisations enforcing the law in the village. One association is the ‘Pondok Polis’, which is
composed of ten volunteers. In addition, there is a fire station to manage emergencies and fires.
There are also several organisations helping the many farmers interact in a co-operative
environment, as they work hard and wake up at the break of dawn to start farming in order to put
food on the table for their families.
Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat in the town area
The smaller organisations include Farmers’ Association and Flower Industry Association.
For those who are completely religious (which is mandatory in these parts), there is a huge and
breathtaking Chinese Temple, the majestic Temple of Datuk Gong. There is also a church for
Christians and Catholics. Aside from that topic, there is also another third party organisation, ,
which is the Jabatan Sukelawan Malaysia (for Security and Safety).
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Pusat Khidmat Komuniti Rela (PKKR) in the town area
Tap water here is filtered and safe for drinking. It is provided by the Government of
Malaysia, which shows its commitment to supply water to even a small but peaceful village. The
river that is the source of water supply is from a nearby fast-flowing stream and from the hills.
This water is diverted from a distance of 10 km away. The water supply that is for washing clothes
is supplied by Pengurusan Air Pahang Berhad (PAIP), which source of river remains unknown.
Electricity is supplied by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). Waste disposal is handled by SWF Corp
Pahang, which comes to collect garbage twice a week. Sewage disposal is managed by Indah
Water Konsortium. Radio antennas and electrical towers are placed in some of the places here in
order to help with telecommunications signal for mobile devices. Medical services are also
available locally in order to help those who are ill get treatment immediately. One of the clinics is
named Klinik Desa. The General Hospital is located in Tanah Rata, which is about 12 km from
Bertam Village. The district council, Majlis Daerah Cameron Highlands is always ready to help
if anything goes wrong. Other facilities include the Dewan Orang Ramai Lembah Bertam, which
is a huge town hall built for the usage of the public. There is also a playing field, where children
and use in the evening to exercise, shops, stalls and a market which stores fresh foods and
vegetables every day.
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People’s Hall of Bertam Valley
SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS PRACTICES
The Chinese make up 95% of the population and Indians as well as other races 5%.
However, the number of households is vague and uncertain. Most of the villagers are Buddhists,
but there are Christians and Catholics too and all live in harmony with each other. There are also
many festivals that are celebrated among the locals, such as the Ullambana Festival, also known
as the Ghost Festival. People from Persatuan Amal prepare food together as a family, since it takes
big team effort to prepare that amount of food for the entire village. There are also magnificent
stage shows in the community hall, which are definitely entertaining. During this festival, offerings
are made to the spirits of the dead and to the hungry ghosts in order to bring good fortune and luck.
It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. Ullambana is a festival of
liberation, which advocates and reinforces the concept of filial piety.
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Persatuan Amal Chin Seng Kok (association in charge of Ullambana festival celebration)
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Festival flags all around Bertam Valley (top), and food preparation by villagers for Ullambana festival celebration
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EDUCATION
There is a number of learning institutions in Bertam Valley:
- Nursery/kindergarten for pre-schoolers – S.K.K. Bertam Valley (Govt.)
- Private kindergarten
Primary school for students aged 7 to 12 (S.J.K.C. Bertam Valley). It was established 72
years ago and the building is still strong. There are 242 students from pre-school to Standard 6 and
25 teachers. The principal is Madam Seng Wai Cheng. This school is fully funded by the
government. Even though the number of students is decreasing from 300 to 200, it increased
slightly in the past two years. It has also been given the title “Sekolah Kluster Kecemerlangan”
due to their excellent performance in mathematics and basketball.
- Huge secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ringlet), which is located 1.5
km away from the primary school.
Most of the students travel to school by car or on foot, as there are no school buses. They
prefer conversing in Chinese followed by English and Malay.
Interviewers with Madam Seng (second from right)
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SJK(C) Bertam Valley
Single-storey old classrooms (left) and 3-storey new classrooms (right)
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ECONOMY
The main economic activities in Bertam Valley are farming and commercial. Farming
involves planting and harvesting fruits, vegetables and even beautiful flowers, which are very fresh
in order to export to Japan. Commercial activities include owning shops and restaurants. As for
agricultural-based activities, records show that almost 1,000 hectares of land have been cultivated
for farming. According to local buyers, the main crops grown and sold by local farmers are
vegetables in the freshest condition, and fragrant flowers. According to statistical records on
income in Bertam Valley, most of it comes from farming, commercial activities and also tourism
and eco-tourism. The average monthly income goes up until RM3,000.00.
Visit to chrysanthemum farm
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INTERVIEW WITH THE HEADMAN OF BERTAM VALLEY
In 1948, the British Government founded and established this tiny village as one of the
most important crops producing area. The farmers in the village were dependent on the crops
cultivated here. Most villagers grew ginger and now many of them grow vegetables, fruits and
even flowers.
Chrysanthemum comes in different colours such as red, pink, yellow and white
We interviewed Mr Wong, the village headman who with his experience and thorough
knowledge of the village, took the time and made the effort to explain to us everything we needed
to know about past history of the village till its current transformation.
In the late 40s, farmers had limited knowledge of crops to grow. The land for cultivating
crops was limited as well. However, the 21st century brought a lot of advantages to farmers. They
no longer had to follow their ancestors’ footsteps in growing only certain crops in a restricted
space. They now have advanced technology to produce large amounts and varieties of vegetables
like asparagus, cabbage, fruits like strawberries, watermelons and flowers like lavender, rose,
orchid etc.
On one side of Bertam Village is a dam. Farmers use a huge supply of water to grow their
crops. To ensure maximum growth of crops or any plant, water is of utmost importance as well as
sunlight and carbon dioxide. Thus, all the vegetables, fruits and flowers here look fresh.
However, Bertam Valley is not only known for its crops, as many non-villagers have
moved from different parts of Malaysia to live in Ringlet. Currently there are many ways to earn
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an income. Various types of businesses from restaurants, grocery shops, hotels and motels to
spas can be found here. We would like to convey our gratitude and thanks to Mr Wong for his
time and effort in giving all this important information
Mr Wong (centre) with interviewers
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TOURISM
Eco-tourism in Bertam Valley reaches its peak during the holiday season. Tourists from
the West escape the cold and snowy season to warmer climates in the East. One of these places is
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia with its beautiful landscapes. Bertam Valley is the top choice for
all who visit Cameron Highlands. Even local tourists have fun here, as they are able to tour grape
farms and pick delicious fruits similar to what they will experience at vineyards abroad. A not-to-
be-missed opportunity is the aboriginal village, as it is very traditional. Tourists can enjoy outdoor
camping as well as watch the sunrise from glorious picnic spots. Another experience is seeing live
crops grown for the entire town; asparagus, among others, is a popular plant, and oranges are
preferred by the local Chinese.
Residence of Orang Asli
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
In 1948, the British Government developed the land for agricultural purpose. Crops grown
by the farmers gave them a large amount of food supply as well as a lot of profit for the economy.
However, this business model has gone through a major transformation and created income
streams outside the field of agriculture. In the 21st century, everything has changed and evolved
to make way for new and better ways to increase the country’s economy. It is fascinating to see
how planting is evolving. Then, it was only ginger crops, but now there is a huge variety of crops
grown and most vegetables, fruits and flowers can be found here now. There are also more job
opportunities. The previously sole focus on farming has expanded to grocery shops, supermarkets,
restaurants, hotels, spas, markets, vineyards etc. This not only helps business owners, but tourists
can enjoy all these facilities too. Tourists from around the world visit Cameron Highlands for
relaxation, photo taking and a yearly vacation away from their stressful jobs. Going into the hotel
business here is advantageous, as the number of tourists increases significantly every year.
One of the biggest flower farms in Bertam Valley
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OTHERS
Popular food in Bertam Valley are wonton noodles, century eggs, mee jawa and prawn
noodles. The local fare is one of the factors attracting tourists’ attention.
An old coffee shop with traditional menu
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PROBLEMS
Several problems have resulted in negative effects on the ecosystem in Bertam Valley.
Since the law was enforced against illegal farming, irresponsible people have been found to have
dumped all their wastes into streams thereby destroying the beauty of Mother Nature. This also
clogs up the sewage system and causes floods in the town whenever there is heavy downpour. The
flash floods are increasing day by day. If no one takes the initiative to put things right, the legacy
of Bertam Valley will be in serious doubt. The irresponsible acts even extend to dumping of wastes
along the roadside. This leads to an unacceptable environment that reeks of foul smells and causes
water and earth pollution. Since water from the streams is the source of water supply for Bertam
Valley, it directly affects the safety of the residents. If the only source of water supply is
contaminated, Bertam Valley residents will not have any clean drinking water. It is causing major
destruction to the environment.
Rubbish left at roadside is affecting the beauty of the environment
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RECOMMENDATIONS
Decisive actions must be taken immediately to address and stop the destruction to
environment. It is timely for the Government to establish a proper waste disposal system and
recycling centre. They should also start promoting ecotourism, as a means of increasing the income
of the villagers and also to allow them to prepare for emergencies. Environmental disasters can
happen anywhere at any time, especially since Bertam Valley is located at Cameron Highlands,
and like its name, is located on high land. Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS) should also start
cleaning up the rivers in order to keep the rivers clean and unclogged. If action is taken, flash
floods can be prevented. Lastly, the persons in charge here at Bertam Valley could file a request
towards the government to start taking action and to issue summons to offenders who pollute the
river or other public spaces.
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: 05- 4688888 ext 2295/2299/2300 (Kampar Campus)