Juru Village in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district has been awarded third place in the 2024 National New Village Competition, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT). The recognition came with a federal grant worth RM500,000, presented to the Village Community Management Council (MPKK) led by chairman Cheh Kim Weng, 61.

Bukit Tengah State Assemblyman, Gooi Hsiao-Leung, highlighted that this is not the village’s first recognition, as Juru has previously received several awards at the local, state, and national levels. These include third place in the 2021 Seberang Perai City Council’s Clean Village Competition and runner-up in the 2024 National Landscape Award in conjunction with Malaysia Landscape Day.

Gooi described the achievement as significant, noting that the competition involved over 600 new villages across Malaysia. He expressed pride in Juru’s continued recognition, saying it reflects the strong community spirit and leadership within the village.

Juru Village was officially established in 1952, during the Malayan Emergency period, as part of the British colonial government’s resettlement strategy to combat communist insurgency. The village has since evolved into a well-established community, now home to over 300 landed residential units and approximately 2,000 residents.

The first village development and security committee (JKKK) chairman was Chow Hoe (1952–1969), followed by a series of successors leading up to the current chairman, Cheh Kim Weng, who has played a central role in the village’s ongoing development through the MPKK.

KPKT’s Village Development Officer for SPT, K.C. Ng, explained that the competition was reintroduced to appreciate the contributions of communities living in Malaysia’s 613 new villages. The aim, he said, is to encourage socio-economic development and inspire younger generations to remain connected to these historical communities.

He added that KPKT has allocated RM1.9 million this year for nine infrastructure projects across seven new villages in Seberang Perai, including Juru and Kampung Selamat in the north. These projects focus on improving roads, drainage, pedestrian walkways, and landscape elements. Additionally, housing repair initiatives are ongoing in areas such as Machang Bubuk and Juru.

Gooi emphasized the importance of preserving the cultural and historical value of new villages, referring to them as “living heritage.” He also expressed support for MPKK Juru’s intention to use part of the federal grant to construct a new entrance archway as a symbolic gateway and landmark for the village.

Both federal and state governments have shown ongoing support for new village development, with the federal government allocating RM84 million for new villages nationwide in 2024.

(Images source: Buletin Mutiara)