A FORMAL community garden guideline to standardise how local plots are approved, managed and monitored is being prepared by the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA).
“MBSA will also strengthen collaboration with institutions of higher learning and technical agencies, increase training for communities,and improve record-keeping... so that community gardens can remain active and sustainable,” MBSA said in a statement.
The guidelines are expected to be finalised next year.
The move comes as MBSA works to address gaps in its own internal records.
While its Landscape Department tracks 40 registered community gardens across the city – 30 of which remain active – it cannot confirm how many have sustained operations for five years or more.
“The exact number still needs to be verified, as existing records do not state the founding year for each garden,” MBSA stated.
The city council also lacks data on the total number of residents or households benefiting across all 40 sites combined, but promised refined record-keeping under the new framework.
For now, MBSA maintains its position as a facilitator rather than a primary financial sponsor.
“The council acts as a facilitator, helping to coordinate site usage, provide technical advice, support community programmes, and liaise with relevant agencies,” MBSA said, noting that financial or utility assistance remained subject to site suitability and budget approvals.
Despite the lack of formal citywide data, MBSA held up Section 20’s plot as a benchmark for future initiatives.
“MBSA views the Jalan Tuntung Community Garden as an example with strong continuity that can serve as a reference in terms of management and community involvement,” the council added.
“Good practices from this garden can be shared and adapted elsewhere.”
