Community Engagement

This few months, I was coordinating a gotong-royong in UTAR Sg Long Campus. This is not my first time handling such a project since I was in PJ Campus. But this time is quite different. Since our big gotong-royong with Deloitte, MPKj and shop lot owners in August 2015 (especially after joining Livable City group), I realized that without the involvement of stakeholders, UTAR couldn't do much in contributing to immediate society. I always thinking (and others would agree) that the existence of higher institution in any community would impact the quality of life to surrounding environment. To be a trans formative agent is a long run process that university should taken into account. Public relation is a must, but how do we engage with our nearest community? From my conversation with students, lecturers, even shop lot owners, I have learnt that we lack of connection in Bandar Sungai Long. Based on my experience in PJ and Bandar Sungai Long Campus, I noticed that only a handful of UTARians have sense of community and surrounding environment. Looks like I need to do something, wherever opportunities I can get. Though, I am also aware that they are also human, easily to fallen apart and get discouraged, especially in our hectic urban life.