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PETALING JAYA: Twenty-four children, aged between 14 and 17, are poised to assume the role of child councillors representing Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) next year.

This is in line with the council plans to declare PJ a child-friendly city by the end of 2011, given the city having 240,000 children aged 18 and below. The total overall population here is about 600,000.

“The children have two years to achieve that status. They will be required to form a working group and propose activities to be implemented at school, neighbourhood and city level,” said council’s Local Agenda 21 officer, Lee Lih Shyan, yesterday.

"Once selected, the children may be required to attend quarterly or half yearly meetings,” she added.

They will be picked from among the 35 who underwent a two-day leadership camp in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang recently.

Qualities sought will be on commitment level, leadership skills and the desire to be part of the city's development plan, based on their work produced and suggestions during the forum attended last June.
At the forum which saw the participation of 160 children aged 8 to 18 years, the participants were required to pen their ideals under four key strategies -- survival (health), protection, participation and development.

The selection of the children is based on recommendations by the camp facilitators and city councillors and later finalised by the Child Friendly City Committee chaired by Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim.

He said the child councillors will be given the opportunity to participate in the development of PJ, through their ideas and views.

"It is good for us to listen without curtailing their independence and respecting their rights. The selected ones will be exposed to sub-committee meetings where they can observe and raise issues that warrant attention from the local authority," said Nasir.