FOR the convenience of residents living outside Air Itam township, assemblyman Joseph Ng Soon Siang has been running a community centre near the Desa Mawar neighbourhood park since January last year.
The community centre, which was established to provide services or assistance to the residents there, is located at a former base used by a Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) in the state. The base was refurbished to cater to the needs of the community.
At the same time, Ng still operates his Air Itam service centre as usual in the Air Itam township.
The service centre is well known among the people in Air Itam, especially the market-goers, as it is just a stone’s throw from the marketplace and the Air Itam police station.
In a recent interview with Buletin Mutiara, Ng said the community centre would serve as an alternative to his service centre in Air Itam.
“Many of my activities are now held at my community centre as it has plenty of parking spaces, and is strategically located near the park.
“As many of the residents staying in the vicinity are from the B40 group, we have many programmes to cater to their needs.
“On top of that, the community centre is easily accessible to people from all walks of life utilising the nearby park for their recreational activities.
“Overall, my community centre here is considered a success. I have shifted most of my activities from Kampung Melayu to here.
“But for those who still wish to visit my service centre in Air Itam town, they can still do so,” said Ng, a first-term assemblyman who was born and raised in Air Itam.
The community centre is open every Thursday from 7pm to 9pm and every Saturday from 10am to 1pm since June this year.
In line with the Penang2030 initiative, Ng said the community centre would be utilised to become Air Itam’s 2030 centre too.
“After all, the 2030 centre still plays the same role as my other centres as well. So, I will use this centre to coordinate my future plans and programmes,” he said.
According to Ng, Penang Governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak is set to visit the Desa Mawar neighbourhood park in the Air Itam constituency on the state-level Landscape Day next month.
“It is a recognition for the Air Itam folk as I believe it is the first time in history that the head of the state is scheduled to make a visit here.
“We are proud of it and are looking forward to the event,” he added.
Air Itam is a popular tourist destination, well known for the famous Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si Temple, and street food like laksa and curry mee.
Last year, Ng introduced six pieces of murals and a sculpture under a project, called ‘My Home, Air Itam’, in a bid to further boost the state’s tourism that had taken a precipitous fall in revenue due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
His plan to make mural paintings as a medium to allure tourists, both locals and foreigners to Air Itam, is a commendable move.
“Air Itam has numerous things to offer to visitors. Visitors to Air Itam town can enjoy themselves and pose for Instagrammable photos,” he said.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting and courtesy of Joseph Ng