Press statement by Ms Josephine Tan, General Manager of Penang Green Council on 2^nd April 2021.

Penang Green Council introduced a new community engagement program named Sustainable Neighbourhood Development Programme (SNDP). The programme aims to develop a sustainable neighbourhood framework that is community-driven and focuses on long term behavioral change, particularly in waste management. In collaboration with SEA circular Project, an initiative from United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP), Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) and Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA), the first SNDP workshops were conducted. The communities from Taman Bagan Lalang and Kampung Permatang Nibong can adopt and take action in accordance with the localised issues, needs and potential. These two areas are chosen as case studies based on their active participation in zero waste practices and active involvement.

The first physical workshop was held on 14^th March 2021 at both locations simultaneously. The 3-hours session has included input sharing from PGC facilitators and group discussions among the communities on the highlighted issues. We are pleased to mention that the community leaders together with their residents had shown their interest and passion in contributing ideas and potential solutions to tackle the issues locally. Following up, PGC will continue to work hand in hand with both communities to develop a sustainable neighbourhood framework that is replicable to other communities in Penang. Both workshops were conducted in both Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin.

A healthy community is a form of living democracy where people work together to address what matters to them. The creation of sustainable neighbourhoods together with the local community will not only build their capacity to develop their own sustainable neighbourhood planning, but also empower them to take up the ownership to improve their living environment. The choices we make today are not only just for ourselves but also for the betterment of our future generations.