N.Z. Aid In Developing Malayan Jungle Area

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29938, 27 September 1962, Page 19

N.Z. Aid In Developing Malayan Jungle Area

(K.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) KUALA LUMPUR, September 25. In the wilds of Pahang State in central Malaya, a gift of about £65,000 from New Zealand is helping to bring development and prosperity to an area dominated by Communist terrorists only a few years ago. This project is known as “Kampong New Zealand” and when the project is fully developed by the end of 1964, more than 4000 acres of thick, forbidding jungle will have given way to high-yielding rubber.

The Story of ‘ Kampong New Zealand' - began with a visit to Kuala Lumpur last March by the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall • to present a cheque for 550.000 Straits dollars 'about £65.000* to the Malayan Government as a goodwill gesture. The Government decided to spend the money in development work in Pahang, largest and least-developed of Malaya's States. Houses, Roads. Water Pipes Part of the money has already been spent in the building of 140 zinc and plank houses for settlers, a'.aff quarters and office buildings. Another portion

of New Zealand's gift has provided roads and water pipes, a shopping centre and playgrounds for the use of the settlers' families. More than 1900 acres of jungle has. already been cleared and planted with rubber, and 106 families numbering 700 persons in all, who moved into the newlydeveloped area in June, have already established themselves in the houses, planted their food-gardens, and are working on development construction. The arrival and establishment of these people—all of Malay race—was the first part of the development plan By the time the 4000 acres are cleared, more than 450 families, or about 3000 persons. will be living in the settlement. The Government plans that all three main races of Malaya— Maley. Indian and Chinese—will be well-represented among the settlers with the aim of making the settlement an example of racial interdependence and harmony. As more land is cleared and more rubber planted, work is going ahead on the building of houses for the Chinese and Indian families who will follow the Malays. A spokesman for the project planners said the total cost of the development would be about 2.000,000 Malayan dollars (almost £250,000*. One of Four Projects The spokesman said the “Kampong New Zealand” project was only cne of four development projects of this kind planned by the Federal Land Development Authority However. New Zealand's close association with the work had been valuable in focussing public attention in Malaya on toe project, and it was essential toait complete success should resuit from the project planming. The manager of ‘'Kampong New Zealand” is Tengku Mansur Yaacob, aged 26; a Cambridge University agriculture graduate, and son of Malaya’s High Commissioner to Britain. Tengku Mansur says he has been very pleased by the attitude of toe first settlers,

and progress to date of planting toe rubber indicated that if the trees were kept in good condition, prosperity for all toe settlers would surely follow. Tengku Mansur said each family was being allotted seven acres of land planted with high-yielding rubber trees, three acres of d-usun, and an additional quarteracre for toe family's house and food garden. While the rubber trees were still growing, all the members of toe families were assisting in development work, and they were receiving a monthly allowance of 60 Malayan dollars. Tengku Mansur said toe Government hoped that by the time toe trees were topped, the average monthly Income for each family should exceed 350 Ma>laya>n dollars (about £4O). New Zealand's participation in toe project is symbolised by a plant, tiny as yet, which was planted at toe project last week by New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Malaya (Colonel C. M. Bennett). This tiny sapling is a bunga tonjong plant, which will grow tall and high in he years to come to symbolise New Zealand’s part in bringing order and development to land which was once jungle wilderness.