Progress Report (June to September 2013)
ACTIVITIES
CARRIED OUT
1 Discussion session
A
series of 8 discussions we organised:- Big gathering on June 2, 2013 at Dignity
International PJ. Follow up discussions:-
June 19 on developing a monitoring mechanism (UKM). All other discussions at GII, Brickfields, KL.
On June 23, 2013 on Crime & gangs;
also on poverty & low income. On June 30 on Human rights & democracy;
also on income generation opportunities. On 7 July, 2013 on education & a
review meeting.
2 Blog
A
blog was created to post basic information:-
http://forumonurbanpoverty.blogspot.com/
3 Field Visits
A series of
5 field visits to
urban poor flat neighbourhoods were organised:- On July 21, 2013 to Sri Pulai
Flats at Balakong; on July 29, 2013 Simpang Lima Tamil School; on August 25,
2013 to Desa Mentari (Block 10); on Sept 8, 2013 at KRT Rumah Pangsa, Taman
Harmoni, Buntong; on Sept 25, 2013 visit to Temeggong Flats, Kulai & meeting
EWRF Kulai district.
4 Field Visits
Dialogue
with agencies – on August 27, 2013 visit and dialogue with Crime Prevention
Department at Bukit Aman. Sept 18, 2013 presentation of the UKM urban poor
neighbourhood study to JPNIN Director General at IKLIN, Nilai (9
neighbourhoods)
GENERAL
FINDINGS
1 Urban poor – Flat dweller in low cost
flats A
majority of low income and urban poor families reside in high rise flats. These are high density neighbourhoods with large numbers of Indian families living within walking distance of each other.
2 Needy Communities
These
are the most ‘needy communities’ but very few voluntary organisations working
at the neighbourhood level in building the local community leadership &
capacity building ie building self-help, self-reliance and self-empowerment
(citizens’ rights & responsibilities, democracy, human rights & voters
rights). There seems to be lots of conflicts at the neighbourhood level and not
cohesive communities.
3 Multiple level interventions needed
Multiple
level intervention is needed including family counselling and support;
neighbourhood organisation; assistance toward educational achievement
(preschool to post-secondary); skills training and character development to the
academically weak; business training, access to credit; employment
opportunities; citizens empowerment program (human rights, democracy, legal
rights & advocacy); confidence building & awareness to access public
sector services
4 Structural Issues
These communities are
impacted by many structural neglect and inadequate public facilities (absence
of local government elections, lack of halls, community facilities, infrastructure
weakness such as maintenance issues as
they must pay for the services and very little public funding to
maintain public space unlike rural districts.
5 Public sector disconnect
Public
agencies do not have a good appreciation of the urban poor Indian complex
situation as it tends to be mono cultural officers on cultural, history of
disadvantage, understanding of socio-psychology make up of local communities
Public agencies and institutions don’t have a good
presence at these neighbourhood a problem similar to Malay communities except
that local authorities tends to provide space for Surau, a kindergarten managed
by Kemas and a meeting room for residence committee. Malay communities seem to
be better connected with the public sector services and seem better organised
at the local community level.
6 NGO weakness
NGOs
lack of coordination and cooperation among them each doing their projects with
little cumulative impact at the grassroots.
7 Wrong expectations
NGO activity seems to
come from outside and the urban poor residents tend to have become passive
recipients. Lots of expectation for ‘hand outs’ and also a deep sense of
disconnect with other communities and especially of provisions of the
government (lacking awareness, confidence to access services)
FUTURE
POSSIBILITIES
1 Focus of this informal network
This informal network of concern
citizens to focus on urban poor neighbourhoods and seek to mobilise voluntary
support, facilitate NGO coordination and not duplicate the services, access
public sector provision and undertake impact assessment and documentation.
2 New Structure ?
Is there a need to form
a NEW Society to coordinate these efforts? Need for funding for sustainability
of this project. The current work is coordinated as an action research project
of KITA-UKM
3 New Networking
Ministry
of Youth & Sports (KBS) has launched a socio economic agenda to assist high
risk youths in crime and gangs through counselling, intervention at schools,
skills training, micro credit and micro business development, participation in
youth organisations and sports and games. A pilot project will be launch at 2
to 3 urban poor neighbourhoods in WPKL and we could assist this initiative.
Project is undertaken as a national project and target oriented from a
community based intervention strategy.
Our informal group could recruit the support of all
Indian based organisations to be partners with KBS
4 New Networking
Department
of National Unity & Integration (JPNIN)
has asked KITA-UKM to assist in the solving of the problems identified in
the first phase of the study at 9 urban poor neighbourhoods. The effort here is
to work with the local RT leaders and liaise with all the relevant agencies to
solve local problems. Also to mobilise the local community within in a ‘Program
Sayangi Komuniti’
Our informal group could mobilise all Indian based social
organisations with their specific focus to assist in the reach out to Indian
families in the above two projects. If we link up we might be able to reach out
to about 10 to 12 densely populated neighbourhoods---------------------------------
Reflections by Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria. Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), UKM
