Empowering the community

The clock strikes nine. For three hours phone lines burn across homes transmitting packets of bits and bytes of information. A company executive, lawyer, teacher, engineer, public vet and homemaker are parked in their swiveling seats, their eyes fixed on computer screens. Their fingers flip into a ballet of vigorous typing and mouse clicking.

As dusk falls and the city discharges her workers, the Internet community of Subang Jaya travels into cyberspace and stops at usj.com.my. Here a virtual conference of minds is happening and the Net is a hive of activity. Netizens become informants, whistle-blowers and social workers. Or the occasional pet detective.

A sample of a crime alert that was posted at the site:
Posted on 23/8 11.53pm, - USJ 18
Date: 22 Aug 2000 Time: 10am
Two Chinese men on a motorbike snatched two gold chains right off the neck of Dean's (No 2 USJ 18/2A) maid while she was walking the baby in the morning just around the area outside the house. She "wacked" them with her umbrella to no avail as they quickly made off with the jewelery. Any body else out there with similar event? Description of 2 men: Chinese, tan complexion, quite elderly (above 40.)

Rising crime rates were a major problem for the Subang Jaya and USJ residents. So, neighbourhood watch groups reminiscent of the Rukun Tetangga back in the late 70s and early 80s were created to combat crime.

For instance, the crime beat of USJ11/4L in Subang Jaya consists of a three-man team who are rostered for a 2am - 5am stake out. They make their rounds within the neighbourhood, weaving through back lanes and quiet alleys, wearing luminous armbands and equipped with batons and torchlights.

The website is not only interested in the welfare of its immediate community but promotes the well-being of the society as a whole. Social projects and charitable concerns are given a welcome boost through web forums.

One of them is Shechem Home, a home for abused, neglected and orphaned children. Homemaker Uma Param who has lived in USJ16 for over a year is actively involved in pooling community resources to help with the running of the home.

"I was able to put up postings in the web forums to collect donations in cash and in kind for Shechem Home. It is home to 16 boys and girls who are mostly school going children, ranging from ages three to 14 years old.

"The e-community here are very kind and compassionate people who rallied individually to donate foodstuff, clothes, cash and basic necessities for the children. The donors even delivered everything to me personally at my residence," said Uma.

The web community of USJ Subang Jaya was again spurred into action when someone posted a message on the electronic bulletin board that volunteers were needed to help relocate primary school students from SRJK (T) Seafield to their new building in SMK USJ 4.

The Selangor Education Department had earlier certified their old school unsafe when it discovered sections of the ceiling were on the verge of collapse. Besides, the single-storey building was riddled with cracks on the walls and floor.

Content writer Patrick Tan was amazed when he saw the hundreds of volunteers who turned up to lend a helping hand on that Saturday morning.

"The gotong-royong (a community service) notice was put up four days before. Within a day, the mission was accomplished. People from different races and age groups helped to move furniture, donated food and drinks," he said.

Unscrupulous shopkeepers, dishonest plumbers, bogus insurance agents. Beware. Or else be exposed. Word gets around pretty quick among the electronic community here whether it's paying profane prices for pipes that still leak or faulty electrical goods.

And then there was Max, the missing Siamese cat. His owner Subihah Abe enlisted the help of fellow resident Patrick Tan where he posted the message on the web. Unfortunately, Max was never found. And Subihah is now left with nine pet cats.

Instant access to information and the collective effort from the community also helps to empower them in issues pertaining to their surroundings. For example, residents who are caught in a bind with errant developers can form their own committees of action to seek a dialogue with the relevant authorities.

The need to be self-supportive is evident as the site is hosted on two private servers owned by Webranet director Jeff Ooi who is also the founder of the website. Together with a dedicated team of web designers and an editorial team, it costs Jeff Ooi an average RM10,000 monthly to maintain the e-community.

"After 10 months of non-funding, we have not only survived but have made steady growth. The model worked because we managed to built a strong subscriber database. But ours is about a higher agenda, the people agenda. About empowering the community and our neighbourhood to lead better lives.

"The volunteers have created a dynamic content update engine that is so easy to use that you don't have to be a computer expert to work it.

"We wish to share this engine free with any neighbourhood in the country," says Jeff.

Jeff added that the e-community concept has changed the mindset of the residents here, adding that there are greater interaction and networking amongst them than before.

Through its online store called jimart.com.my, it is hoped that the community based e-commerce venture will make the site more financially viable in the long run.

Closer to the grassroot community is the fund raising projects held to generate income for the running of the neighbourhood watches. The activities include the sale of old newspapers, second hand books and magazines.

Mundane social gatherings are given a facelift with a Malaysian flavour with get-togethers like durian party, pot luck, teh-tarik and cooking sessions that keep the muhibah spirit alive.

"Forums are good for news and gossip but it can only go so far to promote neighbourliness. We still need the face-to-face contact.

"The teh-tarik sessions were actually getting-to-know-you-better sessions. Real meetings really put a face and character to the person you had been reading about on the forums," says research officer Chang Kum Wah.

By Hooi You Ching

Let's Get Together

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Neighbourhood Watches

Sticks that scare !

Nature and neighbours go together