SUNGAI PETANI: As dawn breaks over Sungai Merbok, the quiet village of Kampung Jilid 8 slowly comes to life. The sound of boat engines now fills the air earlier than before, as fishing boats slip into the river, no longer held back by the rise and fall of the tide.
For fisherman Mohd Asri Said, 51, this change has reshaped his daily routine. For years, he and other fishermen had to tie their boats to mangrove trees and wait patiently for high tide before heading out.
“Everything used to depend on the water level,” he said. “Now, work is more organised. I can go out earlier, return more smoothly and the catch is handled better.”
The newly built jetty has improved access for river fishermen, allowing them to head out and return without waiting for the tide.
Asri, who has spent the past 15 years catching prawns and mud crabs, is among about 40 fishermen in the village benefiting from a newly built jetty. Though modest in size, the structure has made a big difference to their livelihoods.
Change is also visible beyond the riverbank. Upgraded roads have made daily travel safer and more comfortable, especially for schoolchildren, senior citizens and motorcyclists. Solar-powered street lights now brighten areas that were once dark at night, while repaired bridges and an upgraded football field have become a shared space for the community.
Village resident Rahimah Ramli, 49, said the improvements are felt most clearly in everyday life.
“The road is brighter and slightly wider now. Sending my children to school is easier, and if we have to go out at night, we feel much safer,” she said, adding that better lighting has reduced the risk of accidents along roads near padi fields.
Village leaders say these developments address long-standing needs. Kampung Jilid 8 village head council (MKK) chairman Mohd Razi Othman said the road upgrades have also improved links with neighbouring villages, making movement easier for residents.
“These may look like basic facilities, but they make a big difference to our daily lives,” said the 56-year-old. He added that the upgraded football field has given youths a healthier space to spend their time, helping to curb social problems.
The projects, including the jetty, roads, bridges, street lighting and community facilities, were carried out under the Kampung Angkat Madani (KAM) programme, with a total allocation of RM2.5mil for Kampung Jilid 8.
MKK secretary Abu Mukhtar Mustafa, 71, said the programme stood out because it was driven by the community.
“These were not top-down decisions. The ideas came from the residents themselves and were discussed openly before being implemented,” he said. “It gave the village a voice to say what was truly needed.”
“What matters most is that the facilities are actually being used and benefiting the people,” Abu Mukhtar said. “That is how development should work.”
The approach has paid off as Kampung Jilid 8 was recently named Best Kampung Angkat Madani at the National Development Symposium and Awards 2025, recognising both physical progress and strong community cooperation.
KAM is a government initiative aimed at improving the quality of life in selected villages through targeted development. Under the programme, Kampung Jilid 8 was paired with the Attorney General’s Chambers as the coordinating agency to work closely with local leaders and residents to identify priority needs, plan projects and ensure that development efforts deliver real and lasting benefits to the community.
Beyond major infrastructure works, the AGC also carried out several smaller but important upgrades around the village. These included repairs to the sewage system, the replacement of fencing at the Masjid At-Tahir cemetery, repairs to the village’s main wooden walkway and the construction of five waste collection points equipped with 20 new bins.
The improvements helped address long-standing cleanliness issues while making the village environment more organised and comfortable.
For the people of Kampung Jilid 8, the transformation is felt in small but meaningful ways. It shows that when authorities take the time to be on the ground and understand daily realities, development does more than improve routines; it opens the door to new economic and social opportunities and gives communities renewed confidence in their future.
