KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The Ministry of Housing and Local Government is expected to launch guidelines to coordinate the standard operating procedure (SOP) and policies for community garden activities in cities by the end of August.
Its minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the guidelines were being streamlined and fine-tuned by the ministry to ensure that any opening of gardens in urban areas is done in accordance with standards.
“There is currently no policy (for urban gardens), so it is a bit confusing for those who are interested in operating gardens.
“So they just take the vacant land and do (managing the garden). We have to make an SOP or (related) policy, which type of land is allowed (such as) near power substations, construction methods and some other details to facilitate the gardening,” she told Bernama after opening Ainaura Grocer Halal Mart here yesterday.
Zuraida said with the guidelines urban gardeners will also not have difficulty referring to and making applications at the various agencies.
It is hoped that the guidelines will also be a catalyst for expanding community garden programmes such as the pilot project at the People’s Housing Project (PPR) Lembah Subang 2, Petaling Jaya.
The minister said community garden initiatives will be coordinated by the ministry and its agencies including the National Landscape Department and local authorities.
