Lo Khere Chiang of N13 Batu Kitang Candidate's Pledge

    

" I have always believed in equality for all, regardless of race or religion.  I want to lift the plights of the rural people to be on par with the city ones for Batu Kitang folks, solve the flood issues plaguing the citizens. I am ready to fight for opportunities for the less fortunate, upgrade the standard of living in Batu Kitang and to support the fight for what's rightfully belonged to us for our future generations. I want to see Batu Kitang progress and grow economically, politically and culturally for the betterment of everyone. 

ANAK SARAWAK! SARAWAK'S FUTURE ! "

" Flood causes illness. Illness hampers quality of life. Sickness and flood stops Tourism. Make our land strong. Make our people strong. Make Sarawak strong. "

Four(4) Sections of Pledge:

1. Flood Issue 

2. Tourism 

3. Medical Equality  

4. Security- Social Issue  

                                                          

Pledge: FLOOD ISSUE

ANAK SARAWAK! SARAWAK’s Future!

“We can go do this together!” I can tell you the time is here!

I'm not here to talk about policies only, I'm here to share a plan! A plan that can't be bought, A plan that can only be achieved by hard work. A plan I have for Batu Kitang. 

A plan which we can execute together.

Together as one voice, give me the responsibility to make Batu Kitang better!

We are all Anak Sarawak, Sarawak's Hope!

From the background of civil engineering. It's my duty to serve, it's my duty to deliver! But I cannot do it without the rakyat. Let me elaborate on the flood issues we faced and still are. We cannot rely on temporary flood mitigation work only. We need to solve them from the root.

Flooding occurs in known floodplains when prolonged rainfall over hours or up to several days, and intense rainfall over a short period of time. And all these are happening right here in Sarawak and right before our eyes, mostly happening over a period of extensive days.

Flash floods occur within six hours of a rain event, and flash floods can catch people unprepared.

As most lands are converted from fields or woodlands to roads and paths, it loses its ability to absorb rainfall. And with improper drainages, it just makes it harder than it already is.

Topography, soil conditions, and ground cover also play important roles. Most flash flooding is caused by slow-moving thunderstorms, thunderstorms repeatedly moving over the same area. Floods on the other hand, can be slow- or fast-rising, but generally develop over a period of hours or days.

As an experienced hands on Civil engineer, I am able to influence government policies by working with the correct authorities, departments, peers, civil servants and special advisers.

I need to highlight the importance of proper infrastructure. We need to:

*Achieve a long-term vision for infrastructure with official support.

*Embed resilience to climate change into infrastructure decision making.

*Empower and resource Sarawak to manage infrastructure.

My goal in creating an independent infrastructure body locked in by legislation – forming a task force to solve the flood issues.

Adapt the Infrastructure Plan into a rolling Investment and Delivery Plan, deliver to State Assembly and Parliament at the start of each new administration and debated so political consensus on projects can be achieved.

Ensure the Plan is consistent with strategic objectives by evaluating the delivery status of projects in it and the performance of the networks.

Embark upon a proactive programme of public engagement to replace the current approach 

– increasing transparency and trust and solving the issues in a productive and expedite manner.

“ Empower an independent infrastructure body to report to State Assembly and Parliament on the cost of infrastructure projects to solve the flood issues, to determine their value for money, and prioritise projects that offer the greatest socio-economic solving benefits. "

We need to acknowledge the long term challenge flooding poses to communities, businesses and infrastructure, by committing to a long term maintenance investment programme.

Work with the built environment and engineering communities to implement the recommendations.

Take a pragmatic approach to grow a domestic engineering workforce while recognising that engineering is a global industry.

Utilise the infrastructure project pipeline effectively to assess and plan for future capability needs, ensuring Sarawak is equipped with a highly skilled workforce.

While there is not any universal agreement on this specific proposal, I would like a well-argued solution to our infrastructure governance issues to be put on the table.

My proposal of an independent infrastructure body ( Task Force ), established through an Act of State/Parliament, would have the benefit of it being operational more quickly, reducing transition time. It would build on the infrastructure policy foundation already laid to avoid losing momentum.

This independent body that is established must quickly establish credibility, trust and integrity through a transparent process. In order to deliver timely and practical advice to policymakers, it should establish an evidence-based, integrated infrastructure strategy, with clearly identified funding streams, assesses the status of the projects and monitors the performance of networks.

It is important that all political parties accept the outcome of the process. While it is neither possible nor desirable to remove the politics from infrastructure, an independent body would work to achieve a shared long-term vision for infrastructure and reduce the negative impact of short-term electoral cycles. In other words, it will be a long term vision.

The silo approach to managing infrastructure assets contributes to a lack of resilience and causes a “domino effect”, where the failure of one asset undermines the operation of another. Resilience should be embedded into the decision-making process around priority infrastructure projects, so new infrastructure is “futureproofed”, as well as improving our current infrastructure.

Once I take office, I’ll form the Flood Task Force Team and we will plan and distribute our engineering team to look into the infrastructures affecting and causing the floods. I will have the state government pledge for this plan. Then over the rest of my office, I will guard and make everyone who pledge to this plan, build a permanent defence against all the flood issues.

"Give me this responsibility, in office to build a flood defence."

I am looking to a leading source of expertise in infrastructure and engineering policy in order to solve the flood issues.

I want to ensure that civil engineering and construction remain major contributors to solving the consistent flood issues we are facing.

For these, I humbly and sincerely urged the Rakyat to vote me, Ir. Lo Khere Chiang, a passionate Civil Engineer into the State Assembly.

Anak Sarawak ! Sarawak’s Future !

Pledge: TOURISM

ANAK SARAWAK! SARAWAK’s FUTURE!

Batu Kitang has an enormous potential for Tourism Development.

Tourism is an important driver of economic and social development. This sector stimulates economic growth by generating income, employment, investment and exports. It also generates valuable spin-off benefits, including preservation of our Sarawak cultural heritage, new or improved infrastructure, local community facilities and stronger awareness of Sarawak as a tourist spot.

In times when unemployment rates have increased dramatically, evidence indicates that the travel and tourism sector remains one of the leading job creators. There may not be a consistent demand but I strongly believed that consistency can be create if we work together on this! Before creating that demand, we have to work together as one. 

WE ARE ALL ANAK SARAWAK, SARAWAK’S HOPE! 

Batu Kitang need to promote the diversity of the tourism offers in this radius, including our Dayak’s multi-cultural types of stays, gastronomy, cultures and the many cultural products.

Provide funding for long-term joint tourism activities for destination Sarawak in origin markets, thereby adding value to the efforts of the Sarawak Tourism Organisations and the other relevant organisations of the state.

We together need to facilitate strong cooperation with, and among, Sarawak’s private sector partners through public private initiatives.

Together with the people of Batu Kitang, we can promote good practice in extending the visitation season and diversification (e.g. making tourism available to more tourist and local people, even for people on low incomes, different age groups etc.) 

Only Together we can encourage cultural awareness training to improve the services provided for visitors from all origin markets. 

Environmental sustainability: create strategic plan for an environmentally sustainable tourism industry (including systems, technology and infrastructure) in order to contribute to climate and sustainable job creation goals, in cooperation with our local Sarawak partners and international bodies as appropriate. 

Identify and support good practice in capacity and destination management so that supply adapts successfully to demand, and the quality of the visitors’ experience is safeguarded.

Social sustainability: sustain employment in the tourism sector and promote fair working conditions for all employees, including key sub-sectors where recruitment and retention remain a challenge (equal opportunities, equal treatment etc.)

In order to formulate effective tourism policies in this area, a holistic Sarawak approach is needed taking into account the multiple impacts of the sector as well as the wide spectrum of stakeholders involved or affected by tourism. 

Most importantly, it helps our locals vastly in terms of employability and income.

This proposed tourism employment and spend figures paint a really clear picture of how the tourism economy benefits anyone involved in the area, and are incredibly useful in helping Sarawakians  and local state government politicians and decisionmakers the value of our tourism economy.

In Kampung Semaba within the radius of Batu Kitang, we see vast potential of tourism activities. During the dialogue session with residents of Kampung Semaba, we touched on the topic of Tourism in that area. The Semaba residents showed strong mutual interest in building its area as a tourist spot. Ideas were thrown in, requests was asked, they are ready to develop a tourism ground within their kampung.

In order to achieve this, we can only do so together. It’s not the job of a single person or entity, its our job as ANAK SARAWAK to make this a reality.

As Padawan Municipal Council’s Chairman, we have experiences with tourist areas within Padawan. 

Popular Tourist Spots in MPP Area:

Annah Rais Longhouse

Pelaman Dunk Longhouse

Bunk Longhouse

Taman Jubilee Mas

Pitcher Plant And Wild Orchid Garden

Kampung Telaga Air

Borneo Highland Resort

Semenggok Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (WRC)

Kubah National Park

I am more than glad if I can get this opportunity to help build another tourism area. And I can only do so if i was given this chance and the responsibility to do so. I do not want to talk only but rather make it a reality! Rather than promising the impossibles, I would rather do the possibles. And I dare say, Kampung Semeba has this potential greatly!

From one opportunity it will lead to another, together as Anak Sarawak we can multiply this tourism journey for Batu Kitang areas and make it sustainable for the residents of these areas.

Recent meet up with the Tourism Minister, Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, we touched on the topic of tourism naturally. We hope to do more for our tourism. But in order to do more I need more authority and fundings, and once again, we can only do it together. 

Together we are Anak Sarawak, Sarawak’s Future!

I want to help the locals to benefit from the tourism projects, I want to help them sustain, I want to bring rice to their tables, I want to help them to pave for their future generations. I want bring our Sarawak cultural to the next level. 

Keeping the industry at the centre of political and public attention will be important in building on the gains achieved in the past and delivering value to our Sarawak economy. Safeguarding our international reputation is also crucial.

While Sarawak’s natural environment provides the setting for a range of visitor experiences, quality infrastructure is needed to support the range of activities that visitors enjoy.

To be sustainable – environmentally, socially and economically – we must protect and enhance the environment on which tourism businesses depend, get support from local communities, and address regional dispersal.

Being able to employ local people, train them with the right skills, support them and placements in the right locations is critical to growing the value of the tourism sector and its contribution to the economy.

To address this issue, I humbly seek the Rakyat to vote me Lo Khere Chiang into the State Assembly.

Anak Sarawak ! Sarawak's Future!

Pledge: MEDICAL EQUALITY

ANAK SARAWAK! SARAWAK’s FUTURE!

I Proposed

A 1Malaysia Clinic within the radius of Batu Kitang. We do indeed have a 1Malaysia clinic in the area of Padawan, 10miles but it is not sufficient to serve the residents within the area of Batu Kitang. The proposal of another 1Malaysia clinic is not much to ask, but we can only achieve it and work towards this together as ANAK SARAWAK! 

This initiation provides immediate healthcare to all Sarawakians who are in need of basic medical services. With qualified nurses and medical assistants with experience, the clinics are able to carry out minor surgeries, stitching, wound cleaning and dressing as well as treating illnesses like cough, flu, fever, diabetes and hypertension.

For any 1Malaysia Clinics, Senior citizens are exempted from any payment. And this will greatly benefit the majority of senior residents of Batu Kitang. And for the parents of the current younger generations, mainly the newborns till toddlers to kids, this clinic will clearly benefit the mass rakyats in the area.

On the many relevant issues of Equal Medical Rights.

My ambition for this election is to also bring health support and promote equal medical services, ensure health dignity and enhanced the medical quality of life for the people of Sarawak.

WE ARE ALL ANAK SARAWAK, SARAWAK’S HOPE!

This process places greater pressure on health insurers, income insurers and care providers to meet requirements such as giving concrete health performance data and operating efficiently. But it’s all for the benefit of Sarawakians.

Equal Medical professionalism assumes mutual respect, individual responsibility and accountability. Equality  medical professionalism is the cornerstone of the covenant between the medical profession and the society. For the patient, the doctor’s professionalism is the bedrock of his trust in the doctor; a trust that must be earned anew every day.

The daily acts of doctors are based on roles and skills arising from competencies accepted by all specialised professional groups. These roles are elaborated in terms of operational behaviour, with respect to which the doctor is a role model.

Equal medical professionalism is the encompassing role within which roles that doctors fulfil in practice can be distinguished: medical acts, knowledge & science, cooperating, communicating, acting socially and organising. 

The assumption of equal responsibility by every medical professional is the basic principle. This requires ensuring that the shared and distributed responsibilities are linked effectively. 

Clear and balanced agreements must be made, established in concrete terms and complied with in respect of duties, responsibilities and management. In the interests of the patient there must be clarity about who is responsible for what and when. In doing so, doctors manifest Equality medical leadership.

Due to the importance of Sarawak's interest of health, our Rakyat wish to have a equal healthcare system which they can use without anxiety or the fear that interests or considerations other than their individual health needs will play a determining role. That Rakyat interest of Equality health must be achieved and maintained, even if circumstances change. 

“ Equality Medical professionalism forms the foundation of trust placed in doctors by patients and whole of society. Said Mr Lo Khere Chiang. ” 

“EQS (Equality, Quality, Social responsibility) based health systems.” 

I hereby declare

The “Right to Good Quality Medical Care” as a basic and inalienable right belonging to each and every citizen of the Sarawak community.

I therefore advocate

The implementation of health systems and projects solely devoted to preserve, extend and improve the life of Sarawakians in need and based on the following principles:

Equality

Every SARAWAKIAN has the right to be cured regardless of his economic and social condition, gender, race, language, religion and opinions. Standards of health care, set by the progress of medical knowledge, must be delivered equally and without discrimination to all patients.

Quality

High quality health systems must be based on community’s needs, up to date with the achievements of medical science, and not oriented, shaped or determined by lobbies and corporations involved in the health industry.

Social responsibility

Government must have the health and well being of their citizens as their priority, and allocate adequate human and financial resources. The services provided by health systems and health  projects in the medical sector must be accessible to and maintained at an affordable cost for all rakyats.

I recognise

EQS (Equality, Quality, Social responsibility) based health systems and projects as respectful of human rights, appropriate to develop medical science and effective in promoting health by strengthening and generating human, scientific, material and financial resources.

I commit

To plan and develop EQS based policies, health systems and projects.

To cooperate among us to identify common needs in the health sector and design joint medical programmes.

I appeal

To any other Health Authorities and Policy Makers to sign this Pledge and to join in promoting an EQS based medicine and implementing EQS based programmes with me. 

The aim of this Pledge topic is to perpetuate and promote the trust that Sarawak should be able to place in medical professionals which is EQUALITY. 

I, Lo Khere Chiang, humbly appeal to residents of Batu Kitang, to walk with me on this journey in achieving this Equality Medical goal.

Anak Sarawak ! Sarawak’s Future !

Pledge: SECURITY-SOCIAL ISSUE

ANAK SARAWAK! SARAWAK’S FUTURE!

When we talk about SECURITY, people may think about crime watch group, CCTV, more police patrolling, better locks, better gates, hiring guards, etc.

To me, when I talk about security, I am very concern about our social issues. 'What kind of social issues?’ You may ask me. Most crimes are a spark off point for many drug users, why drug users, you may ask. It’s a very sad truth but at the same time it’s a fact that in Sarawak are plague with a Meth epidemic. The most common form of Methamphetamine here is crystal meth also known as Syabu, Ice, Batu.

Meth is a very dangerous form of drugs as the after effects are irreversible. Hallucinations, hyper-excitability  irritability, panic and psychosis are all part of the after effects of this very harmful drug. And naturally when the abuser no longer have enough money to get the drugs, they rob, they steal, they will do anything to find money in order to feed their addiction, leading to major crimes such as break-in’s, vehicle theft, robbery, rapes, murders, etc.

Having better security in the area is honestly not about fixing more CCTV, having more crime watch groups, more police patrolling etc. It is a lot more than that. Solving the social issues surrounding which leads to crimes are the core to begin with. By having the young start from being equipped with knowledge on the harmfulness of drugs and getting the parents to be involved in these programs helps drastically.  

" Promote Youth sports participation, promote healthy development in children, educating them through sports with values and discipline and most importantly to deter them from the bad influence of drugs!  "  

Quoted by Mr Lo Khere Chiang.

Plan and organise programs to educate the public on drugs are one of the impactful method, starting from the grassroots in Batu Kitang, we have to organise programs to promote Youth sports participation, promote healthy development in children, educating them through sports  with values and discipline and most importantly to deter them from the bad influence of drugs. And our mission is to bring Syabu awareness to our vast communities in Batu Kitang constituency. 

At Padawan Municipal Council, we have ran programs related to awareness on such issue. One of the program was: Program Pembangunan Komuniti RPR Batu Kawan Fasa 1 & 2, it was organised by Majlis Perbandaran Padawan & Jawatankuasa Penduduk. We had officers having mini exhibition booths from AADK Kuching, Bomba, Health Department, Police & Community Patrolling Unit.

There were SMK students and grassroots communities from that area attending this program at the RPR Hall. It was a very positive sight to be, whereby they learn many from the different officers presenting and explaining. Equipping the young with knowledge like such should be the basics we would provide them. 

Learning the right from young, instil positive social behaviours is our duty as parents as elders as citizens. We can achieve all these in a stronger way, in a more productive way when we all work together on it. Getting involve, being a volunteer, guiding the young. And naturally all these positiveness starts spreading, our social issues will be reduced. I dare not say all these social issues will be gone, but I’m definite to say social issues will be reduced. 

I would work closely with AADK Sarawak on the programs we can bring to our Batu Kitang communities. My goal is to be able to do these programs not only within Batu Kitang but to do these programs and reach the whole of Sarawak one fine day. 

There are many rural / sub-urban children in the city of Kuching, Sarawak. And many more in the true rural areas and districts in the whole of Sarawak. Batu Kitang is just one of the many areas.

The late start for rural / sub-urban kids in organised sports robs them of the opportunity for physical activity. Being involved in sports and being part of a team, with learning skills and substantial time, takes them away from negative recreations such as drugs, bad company, violence or any other downturn activities.

Clinical studies shows that sports and recreational programs can help children establish lifelong, healthy, physical patterns.

Syabu is a significant and number one drug threat because of the ripple effects the drug has in terms of violence and property crime. This particular drug is disproportionately impacting Sarawak and most rural and sub-urban communities.

This is very serious and I felt something really needed to be done to educate the young before they’re exposed to this drug. We need to change attitudes before we can change behaviour. We have to combined all efforts as it will certainly have some significant impact gradually, and eventually security will be in place.  

We are Anak Sarawak, Sarawak’s Future!

If young people know just what horrific damage Syabu could do to them, I think that would dramatically limit demand, and of course if we dramatically limit demand obviously that will bring an impact on everything else.

We are helping the local communities  understand the risks of Syabu addiction and the collateral damage that comes with it. I am always trying to encourage and increase teen-to-teen and teen-to-parent dialogue and decrease the community’s acceptance of Syabu. Young people are more likely to use a substance when it is really common, thus educating is highly important and significant.

We are doing all we can on the ground works, as we believed strongly in approaching and sharing with the communities and showing our care and concern on the Syabu epidemic situations happening in the very kampong they are staying in. 

Other than educating on Syabu Awareness, I strongly want help to instil social values in each and every child whom we can help, regardless of age, race, gender, family composition, income or status. 

For these, I humbly and sincerely urged the Rakyat to vote me,  Lo Khere Chiang, into the State Assembly. Together we can achieve this social goal ! 

Anak Sarawak, Sarawak's Future!