BATU KAWAN (May 6): The Public Service Department (JPA) has adopted Pulau Aman under the MADANI village adoption programme with an allocation of RM2.5 million aimed at developing it into a tourist attraction and improving the living standards of its residents.

"JPA has identified several key areas with an allocation of RM2.5 million for upgrading jetties, drains, and playgrounds, refurbishing multipurpose halls, and constructing a nature trail around the island," said JPA director-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.

"We will also carry out beautification measures, which will be implemented and completed this year, with an emphasis on facilitating the villagers’ daily lives," he told reporters after the adoption ceremony on Pulau Aman on Sunday night.

He said that JPA also aims to make Pulau Aman a competitive Art and Heritage Tourism Island and a tourism hub to help generate income and improve living standards.

"The houses will be painted in vibrant colours like a renowned village in Spain to attract tourists, and sculptures will be installed at various spots. Beautification and infrastructure enhancements will be ongoing," he elaborated.

Wan Ahmad Dahlan reported that JPA is also identifying potential aquafarming and aquaculture projects to further boost the local economy, alongside human capital development programmes including e-digital training, English, and Mandarin courses.

He stated that in the 2024 Budget, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim introduced the Madani Village Adoption programme, aimed at providing basic facilities to bridge the economic and developmental gap between rural and urban areas through a whole-of-government approach.

During the event, JPA expressed gratitude to His Majesty, King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim for his generous donation of rice to the families on the island. 

Pulau Aman is a traditional fishing village on a 116.5-hectare island, located approximately 16 nautical miles from Seberang Perai and 8km from the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Bridge. It has a population of 250 people comprised of 47 families, and is accessible by a 10-minute ferry ride from the Batu Musang Jetty in Batu Kawan. 

Among its attractions are the revered breadfruit tree recognised as the oldest in Malaysia, the 234-year-old Telaga Mas, the Ar-Rahman Mosque built in 1817, and an eco-tourism trail encircling the island.
 

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