May 23, 2024, was the third day of Community Development at Universiti Kuala Lumpur. The participants were expected to attend several locations in Malaysia’s State of Selangor on this day. The Sabak Bernam district in Selangor was the participants’ first stop. This area often serves as camping grounds for tourists. The participants were welcomed by Mr. Muhammad Syazani Ilyas Saaid, the second-generation founder of Pemadam Sabak Bernam, which is involved in the district’s development.

The next destination was PT Berkat Padi, Malaysia’s first and largest rice management site, which manages 1000 hectares of rice fields. This management site already uses sophisticated farming equipment, such as drones for spreading pesticides, and heavy equipment for planting and harvesting rice. PT Berkat Padi sells various types of rice according to community needs through the e-commerce Shopee with the brand Beras Wangi Kampung. The products are available starting from 300-gram packages, so buyers can try them before buying a larger package. However, one obstacle experienced by the rice farmers here is the need for re-fertilization of the soil after harvesting, unlike in Indonesia.

Next, the participants visited MHP Enterprise, which is engaged in the production of snacks, especially bahulu (bolu) as its main product. This company was initiated by inviting local neighbors to make and sell snacks. As time went by, this business became bigger and bigger until it became one of the souvenir centers in Selangor. Currently, the company is managed by the second generation and has several factories and shops. MHP Enterprise is an example of an organization that has successfully empowered women in the surrounding environment through a snack business.

Finally, before returning to Universiti Kuala Lumpur, the participants visited Vircoil Coconut, the producer of virgin coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil refers to pure coconut oil that comes from coconut milk and does not involve any chemicals in its production, hence it is healthier.
Overall, the participants acquired a lot of information about how to productively benefit from natural resources existing in surrounding areas and participants learned how to developing community to enhance their well-being, these enterprises can be a great examples of empowerment communities near us.