San Peng: Where Community Comes Together

TUN HIZAMI HASHIM | 21 August 2026

Jalan San Peng’s strong community spirit lives on at Seri Selangor Public Housing (PA), where sport, culture and shared experiences bring residents together while creating spaces for healthy living and keeping heritage alive for the next generation.

There was a real sense of community at Seri Selangor Public Housing on Aug 15, as approximately 500 residents came together for Temasya San Peng. From the cheers of the football tournament to the rhythms of kompang and zapin, the day was also a celebration of the neighbourhood’s renewed public spaces, with the newly upgraded futsal courts, community stage and playground opening their doors to residents.

The community’s story is closely woven into the history of San Peng itself. The area takes its name from San Ah Peng, a 19th-century contractor and tin miner from Guangdong, China, and later grew into a vibrant residential neighbourhood. Among its landmarks is Seri Selangor Public Housing, one of Kuala Lumpur’s oldest public housing developments, built in 1972.

For Seri Selangor Residents’ Association chairman Mohd Noorzaimi Shamsuri, the neighbourhood holds a special place in his heart. He grew up there and has witnessed the area undergo numerous changes over more than four decades. Looking back, Noorzaimi recalled a time when the neighbourhood had developed a reputation for social problems, including drug-related activity.

“There were many of us siblings, but our house was small, so we spent a lot of time outside. Peer influence and a lack of meaningful activities were among the factors that contributed to the situation,” he said.

Seri Selangor Residents’ Association chairman Mohd Noorzaimi Shamsuri with PNB Merdeka Ventures Community and Placemaking Lead Riduan Ngesan at Temasya San Peng last weekend.

That experience later encouraged him to pay greater attention to young people after taking over the leadership of the residents’ association about seven years ago.

One of the initiatives he championed has been Temasya San Peng, inspired by the concept of the World Cup, which takes place every four years. This year’s edition saw a futsal tournament held on two newly upgraded courts, with 117 participants taking part.

“We are very grateful for the support from PNB Merdeka Ventures (PNBMV) and Think City, which helped upgrade the facilities for residents. Going forward, we hope to provide more spaces for activities, including a small music studio for instruments such as the ukulele, as well as an indoor space for games such as chess and carrom,” he added.

Partnerships That Make a Difference

This community spirit has been strengthened through support from the Merdeka 118 Community Grant Programme, Round 3, by PNBMV, with support from Think City. Launched in 2021, the programme supports community initiatives around the Merdeka 118 Precinct, particularly in youth development, arts, culture and community well-being.

According to PNBMV chief executive officer Dato’ Ir. Ts. Dr. Izwan Hasli Mohd Ibrahim, RM38,000 was allocated to this project, which has the potential to benefit more than 6,000 residents, based on the 2023 census.

Overall, the programme has supported 30 projects with an investment of more than RM1.6mil in several areas around Kuala Lumpur, in line with Warisan KL’s aim of preserving the identity, history and communities of the city centre.

Fifty-one-year-old resident Suzana Mohd Ali welcomed the new facilities, particularly as they give children and young people more opportunities to take part in healthier activities.

Having lived there since 1980, she remembers the old field, which was little more than an open patch of earth that quickly turned dusty when in use. “These days, children spend a lot of time on tablets and gadgets, which is not particularly good for their health. So I’m happy that my grandchildren can take part in healthy activities and spend time with their neighbours,” said Suzana, who had come to support her grandchild at the event.

She hopes the facilities will continue to be well maintained, with regular patrols and the installation of closed-circuit television cameras to improve safety and ensure the surrounding area remains well cared for.

Among those making use of the new futsal courts were two friends, 11-year-old Dharwin Satheran and 10-year-old Harraz Mukhriz Muzafar, who took part in the Under-17 futsal tournament.

“I supported Spain in the recent World Cup, and when my favourite team won, I became even more excited about playing this sport,” said Dharwin, who plays goalkeeper.

Harraz, who plays as a striker, counts Erling Haaland among his favourite players and dreams of becoming like the Norwegian forward one day. “I’ll make sure I finish all my schoolwork first, and then I’ll go down to play and practise football. I hope that in future we can play against other PPR teams,” he said.

Both boys hope their passion for football will take them further, including the possibility of representing Malaysia one day.

Their team, known as “Mat Salleh”, was one of 11 teams competing in the tournament, which also provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships among residents from different backgrounds.

Encouraging Cultural Heritage

While the futsal courts provide a space for young people to stay active, the community stage gives them an opportunity to discover and appreciate traditional arts. For two friends, 17-year-old Muhammad Danish Nazlansrul and 14-year-old Muhammad Khalish Aiman, joining the Zapin Seri Selangor group has given them an opportunity to enjoy new experiences and simultaneously build confidence.

“When I was younger, I used to dance by myself in my room while listening to Datuk Siti Nurhaliza’s songs. When I got the chance to join this zapin group, I was happy because I could dance with friends. If you are genuinely interested in something, there is no need to be shy about giving it a try,” said Danish.

For Khalish, performing at Temasya San Peng was his first experience performing in front of an audience. “At first I was nervous, but afterwards I really enjoyed it. Dancing also helps relieve the stress after a whole day at school. I can’t wait to perform in front of an audience again,” he said.

The Zapin Seri Selangor group is keeping the traditional art of zapin alive through regular training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Seri Selangor PA multipurpose hall. Established through the Merdeka 118 Community Grants Programme, the group is also opening doors for participants to build confidence, share their talents and potentially earn supplementary income through performances.

The two boys are among 27 members of the Zapin Seri Selangor group, which was established through the Merdeka 118 Community Grant Programme.

Through the grant, participants received 60 training sessions from instructors from the Persatuan Zapin Muar Johor (PERZIM), as well as sponsorship for costumes for the zapin and kompang groups. Beyond learning traditional arts, the groups also have the potential to provide participants with opportunities to earn supplementary income through performances at functions and events.

Training is now held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening at the Seri Selangor PA multipurpose hall, with hopes that more young people will join the group and help keep the art of zapin alive.

Temasya San Peng shows how a community in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is using sport, the arts and public spaces not only to encourage healthy activities, but also to strengthen ties among residents of different backgrounds and ensure that cultural heritage continues to be preserved.

I’d make the ending a little warmer and less formal, so it feels like a natural conclusion to the feature:
From the newly revived futsal courts to the growing kompang and zapin groups, the story of Seri Selangor shows that meaningful community development can begin with something as simple as creating spaces for people to come together, share their talents and take pride in where they live.

As National Day approaches on Aug 31, that spirit of togetherness takes on an even greater significance – a reminder that the strength of a community is found not only in its shared history, but in the way its people continue to shape its future together.