Saturday, 28 August 2010 10:41 | Written by
Connie Chieng
Today, as the chairman of the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), a transformation has taken place over the once quiet man. Speaking with authority and definitely knowing his job well, Lo plunges into his new job whole-heartedly.
Fully aware that the job is a political appointee, Lo certainly knows how to balance it as MPP chairman and a politician. Taking an hour of his precious time one morning, Lo explains his dual positions, the second being the secretary of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Kota Sentosa branch.
Although two months and two days into the job, Lo took to his job like duck to water. He was once a councillor and later an engineer in the council which gave him the benefit of learning the ropes long ago.
From serious matters to people asking for hand-outs, Lo has tactfully and diplomatically dealt without offending anyone.
Speaking of his dreams to see MPP as a model council for the state, Lo likens the running of the council like running a miniature government. “When I first walked into the office, I promise myself that I must be fair to people of all races irrespective of their religion or political leaning, and to see that MPP flourish to become one of the best councils,” he said.
His first couple of weeks was not uneventful. As an engineer, he was only incharge of a section planning and designing projects for clients but as the chairman, it is a different ball game all together. Having heard of people wanting handouts, Lo experienced it the hard way.
People of all walks of life will drop by with serious to domestic problems. “I have a guy who came asking for cash, saying he needs to eat. I don’t want to encourage such people, especially when they are not sick and able to help, but I gave in and gave him RM100. The man then said he wanted RM200 for no good reason.
“Another man came in with a traffic summons, expecting me to help him settle it. I refused. I told him if he committed an offence, he has to face the consequences,” he said.
Then there were people who came in and told Lo of their domestic problems. He could only advise.
However, as time passes by, Lo gets better at handling the situation.
There were genuine poor people who wanted helping and Lo said mostly they wanted to have a hawker licence and tried his best to assist them. He was most concerned about the roads, the maintenance of drains and roads and other infrastructure facilities in areas under MPP jurisdiction. However, the most pressing matter is the lack of fund and the fact that Padawan is a huge area.
Padawan has a population of 305,000 with a total of 60,000 properties.
It stretches from Mile 3 to Telaga Air, Borneo Heights and Tapah. Among the three councils in Kuching Division, Kuching South City Council (MBKS), Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), MPP, formerly known as Kuching Rural District council, is the largest with 1,431.82 sq kilometres and the majority of the population is Chinese.
“It is a big area and we have assessment rate revenue of RM32 million a year, which is very low compared to the other two councils.
I am now waiting for the 10th Malaysia Plan under which we will have money to start on new projects.
By then, we will know the more urgent projects,” he said.
On fairness, Lo is concerned about the tender practice in the council. Wanting to give every contractor a chance, he said he wants an open tender where the project will go to the lowest bidder. “I know at times some tenders would go to contractors who did not bid the lowest and this is something I want to stop,” he said.
Lo said there was always talk of the lowest bidder not being able to do a good job. “From Day1, I put my foot down; I know how the whole thing is being done. I am an engineer and I know if there is a careful administration of the project. There is no reason for the lowest bidder not being able to do a good job. I have informed my committee and the other relevant parties in the council of the transparent changes that must take place,” he pointed out.
Fairness to Lo is not to be said but seen to be done. He has also hold meetings with contractors of his intention and he wants every one of them to be given a chance to bid for a project but there must be no corners cut. Saying that he was not in the council to victimise people, Lo called for understanding and cooperation to make drastic changes for the better of MPP. “What is Padawan’s gain is the people’s gain,” he added.
Warning contractors to do a clean job, Lo said he would not hesitate to blacklist them and have their licence revoked if jobs were done in a sloppy manner. “When given the chance to perform, the contractors must prove their worth,” he said.
Lo’s intention to do his job well is also for his party’s sake. Speaking objectively of his ailing party (SUPP), he believed that with him doing a good job, it would auger well for the party.
“What I do will be scrutinised as an SUPP member. In my own small ways, I want to achieve the best for the council and if that happens, it can indirectly win the people over to our party. After all, I represent my party,” he added.
On his party being in the lowest ebb, Lo philosophically pointed out that nothing stayed down forever.
“What goes up must go down and vice versa. We will not stay down forever. Of course, everyone has to work towards the tough journey of climbing up as people’s expectations are getting higher. We have a grand history and at times, it is good to learn from the past and the mistakes made,” he said.
Wanting to take the party’s present situation in a more positive note, Lo believed that the situation was sort of a wake-up call to the leaders and members. He reasoned that despite looking at the past, different strategies needed to be applied to this present era to suit the changing trend of the people’s thinking.
“A party is like a business. Once a business grows bigger, it is naturally more difficult to run and more ideas should be planted in to make the business flourish,” he said.
On the issue of opposition, Lo pointed out that if an opposition member came in with a genuine problem, he would handle it if it would benefit the people. “I am not going to let prejudice sets in, be it the poor or rich, government or opposition. My main aim is to serve the people,” he stated.
On his immediate plan, Lo is eyeing a project for a wholesale market.
A wholesale market is urgently needed to cater to the demand in both Kuching and Samarahan.
Wanting to house the market under a building but not too far from the city, Lo said it would solve the problems of wholesalers plying their trade all over the city.
Another project Lo wants to undertake is a hawker centre for MJC (Batu Kawah New Township) which is currently and temporarily set up at the parking lot.
“At the moment, the hawkers are there to bring additional businesses to the township. It’s a win-win situation but there will come a day when they need a proper area. I am looking for area either at MJC or Mile 7.
I hope the private sector can come in to help on this,” he said.
On rumours that he is likely to be a candidate during the next state election, Lo refused to be swayed by such thoughts. “There are a lot of capable and aspiring members out there. Let me concentrate on my job first,” he said.
Married with two teenage children, Lo enjoys chilling out with them and his wife at a good movie or having a simple meal out in the city whenever he is free.