The Panelists for Child Councillors Interview have a brain storming session two days ago on the interview criteria and guidelines. While everyone agreed that dedication, committment apart from the personality and attitude is important, we find it hard to standardize everyone value system as it is very subjective in measuring these. For example, how to give mark to a children with right attitude? Nevertheless, it provides us a challenge and excitement for selecting the pioneer for the yet to established PJ Child Council.
While individual talent and enthusiasm is critical, we are also mindful of getting team player rather than the lone ranger. The inaugural Council should have comprised children from different background and geographical area as well as able to work together. They have to, as what the current Council of PJ City, stand united to be heard. Individually, nobody will adhere to what they are trying to speak out, but if a suggestion proposed by a group then the chances of getting hear is better.
We have short listed 48 potential candidates from amongst the attendees of the Forum held last June and July 2009 as well as the Leadership Camp on December 2009 for the interview to be held on 20th and 27th February 2010. The Interview Sessions will be a session for children to "sell" him/herself. A session to measure individual talent and group dynamic.
Let's cross the finger for the days to come...
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Good 3R Practices
Last week saw the gathering of Local Authority and agencies officers from all over Malaysia in Holiday Inn, Glemmarie to share and exchange lessons learnt on 3R good practices. Pilot waste management community initiatives funded by SWMC-DANIDA and supported by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government were on displayed and dessiminated to the participants. MBPJ together with our partners, namely Beautiful Gates Disabled Foundation, Justlife, Section 19 Residents Association, Global Environmental Centre (GEC), Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (CETDEM) and Ecoknights showcased the outcomes and lessons learnt on our community projects. These include Household Waste Composting, Eco-Enzyme Making, Smart Rangers and Green Award. The projects are participatory in nature and finding waste minimisation solution at source or at the neighbourhood level through capacity building, training and awareness raising. The changing of attitude rather than application of technology is emphasized. We received overwhelming enquiries from other local authorities and community groups for initiating the same programmes.
The Seminar is an end to the pilot experience, but a start for replication process. The trained participants for Household Waste Composting, for instance have tentatively agreed to become mentor to coach others on doing the same. The impact is great with participation from other residents of PJ considering that every participant of the pilot project has reduced an average of 47% of their household waste. The challenge, is however to sustain their momentum and interest, and of course commitment.
Friday, February 5, 2010
2010 Work Plan for Planning Department
My Department has a soul searching session for last week. Staffs were gathered to brainstorm the way forward and work programmes for the year 2010 and beyond. The Director emphasized on professionalism, facilitation, communication and continue improvement in carrying our duties. I spoke about revisiting the core business of planning profession and the Department by looking at the emerging trend such as climate change, globalisation, demography change and local circumstances. It is important of incorporating sustainable development for future strategic planning. Others were also mentioned about the need for efficiency in service delivery, team work and integrity.I found the session was interesting as staff have opportunities to listen to other section head on the functions and their work plan. Many I believe have heard about Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya and even helped out in some of the activities, but have not bothered to understand the terminology better and to translate the principles into work process. I am glad for getting the chance to share.
The discussion was done in very cordial atmosphere and participation is active. I think it is a participatory planning in practice. Under such informal circumstances and without social class barrier between officers and staffs, every one is given the chance to voice their views and suggestion, to me is an achievement. I think, staffs from all level should be allowed more opportunities to voice their views without filtering by others. Hence, the proposal of having Brain Box is very much welcome. Staffs are requested to suggest any ideas in relation to quality, work process or even personal matter at the beginning of every month. The best idea will be rewarded and implemented by the proposer and assisted by others. By doing so, we are encouraging innovation and creativity, and importantly to recognise the individual with good idea. I believe, for any organisation striving for knowledge management, this is pre-perquisite.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
3R Community Initiatives
MBPJ was invited to share our experience with participants from other local authorities and agencies last week in implementing 4 community initiatives on waste minimisation and 3R. These include Household Waste Composting, Educating Household in making Eco-Enzyme, Smart Rangers for 3R and Green Awards for Schools in PJ. These initiatives were funded by SWMC-DANIDA and supported by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
Realising that waste management is a challenge that weaken the financial and management capability of the Council, applications were made to the Ministry for funding us in carrying out pilot scheme to experience effective ways of reducing the problems of solid waste management.
These initiatives under Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya shared common bottom line, namely stakeholders participation, solution at source, inclusiveness and duplicability.
Stakeholders participation is critical to ensure the sustainability of a programme. As stakeholders are involved from the beginning, follow through the whole process and finally claiming ownership over the project, the successful rate for continuity is higher. Most of the time we witness a programmes started with big bang, but quiet down and then led to natural dead because of sustainability and lack of interest amongst the stakeholders. By getting people involved and well trained can also convert the participants as trainers and mentors for replication exercise later. Our Household Waste Composting Initiative for example, managed to recruit 46 project participants as trainers.
Secondly solution at source should also be promoted. While any methods of 3R is welcome, solution at source is the most logical move, and of course the most effective and "humanised". By promoting solution at source also encourage every individual bears personal responsibility on the waste they generated. It is "polluter paid" principle. Similarly, inclusiveness is emphasized in line with the policy of MBPJ in creating an universal design society. Of course, reducing the resources and thus waste from the premises will also mean reduction of transportation and manpower cost of collecting and disposing the waste.
Duplicability is by far the most important factor as this is what the pilot projects are carried out for. While all the projects can be replicated, the continuity is very much based on the human factor. The participants who have benefited from the pilot projects and their willingness to continue as well as to mentor or coach others to further expand the initiatives.
MBPJ simply cannot afford to lost the momentum or else the efforts of pilot project will be wasted.
Realising that waste management is a challenge that weaken the financial and management capability of the Council, applications were made to the Ministry for funding us in carrying out pilot scheme to experience effective ways of reducing the problems of solid waste management.
These initiatives under Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya shared common bottom line, namely stakeholders participation, solution at source, inclusiveness and duplicability.
Stakeholders participation is critical to ensure the sustainability of a programme. As stakeholders are involved from the beginning, follow through the whole process and finally claiming ownership over the project, the successful rate for continuity is higher. Most of the time we witness a programmes started with big bang, but quiet down and then led to natural dead because of sustainability and lack of interest amongst the stakeholders. By getting people involved and well trained can also convert the participants as trainers and mentors for replication exercise later. Our Household Waste Composting Initiative for example, managed to recruit 46 project participants as trainers.
Secondly solution at source should also be promoted. While any methods of 3R is welcome, solution at source is the most logical move, and of course the most effective and "humanised". By promoting solution at source also encourage every individual bears personal responsibility on the waste they generated. It is "polluter paid" principle. Similarly, inclusiveness is emphasized in line with the policy of MBPJ in creating an universal design society. Of course, reducing the resources and thus waste from the premises will also mean reduction of transportation and manpower cost of collecting and disposing the waste.
Duplicability is by far the most important factor as this is what the pilot projects are carried out for. While all the projects can be replicated, the continuity is very much based on the human factor. The participants who have benefited from the pilot projects and their willingness to continue as well as to mentor or coach others to further expand the initiatives.
MBPJ simply cannot afford to lost the momentum or else the efforts of pilot project will be wasted.
Monday, February 1, 2010
SS2 Cares CNY Street Carnival 2010
The Carnival is back for the 7th Year. It is a festive season celebration in conjunction with the Chinese New Year 2010. More than 214 stalls selling variety of foods and goods operating daily from 6am until 1pm at Jalan SS2/62. These include 4 stalls operated by the people with disabilities.
SS2 CARES is a grouping of residents groups, traders, disabled people and agencies to promote community sustainable initiatives in SS2 neighbourhood. It started with the success of stakeholders participatory planning in upgrading the SS2 town park. At that time, town hall alike meetings were called at the park to brain storm and discuss on the upgrading of the park. It was then that, formal partnership was established to plan community development programmes for better utilising the park facilities.
The Carnival is an event to introduce the traders and public on environmental education and awareness. For the past 3 years, booth on recycling campaign was set up to better educate public on 3R concept. Various redemption schemes are on offered to attract participation. Yesterday's launching witnessed the importance of offering incentives to attract participation. Economic instrument rather than voluntary instrument is critical for 3R to be successful. While we have discovered a way to promote 3R, it is also sad to notice that Malaysian have not making 3R as their way of life, even after more than 15 years of the implementation of Recycling Campaign.
SS2 CARES is a grouping of residents groups, traders, disabled people and agencies to promote community sustainable initiatives in SS2 neighbourhood. It started with the success of stakeholders participatory planning in upgrading the SS2 town park. At that time, town hall alike meetings were called at the park to brain storm and discuss on the upgrading of the park. It was then that, formal partnership was established to plan community development programmes for better utilising the park facilities.
The Carnival is an event to introduce the traders and public on environmental education and awareness. For the past 3 years, booth on recycling campaign was set up to better educate public on 3R concept. Various redemption schemes are on offered to attract participation. Yesterday's launching witnessed the importance of offering incentives to attract participation. Economic instrument rather than voluntary instrument is critical for 3R to be successful. While we have discovered a way to promote 3R, it is also sad to notice that Malaysian have not making 3R as their way of life, even after more than 15 years of the implementation of Recycling Campaign.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
River Rangers Training
River Rangers is no more exclusively for the officers in rural area, but in urban area as well or else the urban rivers will never be cleaned and improved. This is the message disseminated to the participants of Smart Rangers Training last Saturday at MBPJ. A joint program with State Government of Selangor and GEC. A total of 35 participants from MBPJ, MPSJ and MBSA took part in the 1 day training which included field trip to the source and end of Sungai Penchala. The purpose then is to let participants to see, to feel and to taste the different quality of water. The impact is great as participants started asking why the quality is so much different after the River flowing through urban area of KL and PJ.
Many of them agreed that the answer is relied on residents, our attitude caring about the river. Many have also agreed that while caring for river is important, taking care of our pipe flowing out from our kitchen as well as the drains at our backyard are equally critical. Many forgot about making sure the drains are clean and without pollutant. This is the source of river pollution. Collectively if all individual takes care about their drains, we believe that the rivers do not need special attention. In this instance, we always look for the forest, but ignore the tree.
The participants were taught about rivers and their functions, techniques to monitor and measure quality of water, organise actions to look after the rivers and partnership with others stakeholders. It is an exploratory and educational trip.
It is also part of Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya 10th Anniversary Celebration.
Many of them agreed that the answer is relied on residents, our attitude caring about the river. Many have also agreed that while caring for river is important, taking care of our pipe flowing out from our kitchen as well as the drains at our backyard are equally critical. Many forgot about making sure the drains are clean and without pollutant. This is the source of river pollution. Collectively if all individual takes care about their drains, we believe that the rivers do not need special attention. In this instance, we always look for the forest, but ignore the tree.
The participants were taught about rivers and their functions, techniques to monitor and measure quality of water, organise actions to look after the rivers and partnership with others stakeholders. It is an exploratory and educational trip.
It is also part of Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya 10th Anniversary Celebration.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Beverage Packets Recycling Campaign
Attempt to break the Malaysia Book of Records for the category of "The largest Collection of Beverage Packages" was announced last Thursday. MBPJ in collaboration with Lions Clubs International District 308B1, Malaysia and Tetra Pak is organising the 1 month Beverage Packets Recycling Campaign starting from 1st Ferburary 2010 to 6th March 2010. The success of the attempt will be announced during the Recycling Carnival to be held on 6th March 2010 at One-Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya.
It is an on going initiative by Local Agenda 21 MBPJ to promote 3R concept and effective waste management strategies at source. It is a capacity building programme to raise public awareness on reducing the waste and recycling the recyclable items.
Various attractive prizes under the redemption scheme are in offer. Public can claim prizes for bringing in empty packets to the designated centres. Apart from that, public with 30 packets and above are eligible for lucky draw as well.
This will be the first time Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya attempting a record. We are doing this in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary celebration of implementing LA 21 in PJ and in Malaysia as well.
This attempt might be the first, but definitely not the last to promote sustainable development. While we prefer to promote sustainable development progressively, at time making a hoo ha might be also good, I presume or else people might be forgetful that LA 21 is still an on going initiative.
It is an on going initiative by Local Agenda 21 MBPJ to promote 3R concept and effective waste management strategies at source. It is a capacity building programme to raise public awareness on reducing the waste and recycling the recyclable items.
Various attractive prizes under the redemption scheme are in offer. Public can claim prizes for bringing in empty packets to the designated centres. Apart from that, public with 30 packets and above are eligible for lucky draw as well.
This will be the first time Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya attempting a record. We are doing this in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary celebration of implementing LA 21 in PJ and in Malaysia as well.
This attempt might be the first, but definitely not the last to promote sustainable development. While we prefer to promote sustainable development progressively, at time making a hoo ha might be also good, I presume or else people might be forgetful that LA 21 is still an on going initiative.
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