Be contactable, councillors told

Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian (right) presents the Chain of Office as the chairman 

    of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) to Lo Khere Chiang, during the

    swearing- in ceremony of MPP councillors. PHOTO: RAMDI SUBARI

KUCHING: Minister of Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian urges councillors to be contactable by the public in their designated zones.

“The public should know who the councillors are in their areas and they should make their contact numbers availabe to the community in their designated zones.

“I do not want the public to come to me saying that they do not now know councillors and their community leaders in their own areas are,” he said when speaking during the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) councillors’ swearing in ceremony held at MPP building in Kota Padawan, yesterday.

He said councillors should also develop new zones for themselves so that he could monitor their Key Performance Index (KPI).

Dr Sim also noted that as policy makers, councillors should start implementing their policies immediately rather than wait.

“I want all of you to think forward about MPP in the next 20 years, and if you don’t start laying your foundation on what you are planning now, you have failed your duty because councillors’ job is to plan and set policies,” he said.

He hoped that all the councillors would work with him instead of working under him in the effort to raise the living standard of the people in areas under the jurisdiction of MPP.

“Since MPP covers both urban and rural areas, this is where you (councillors) have the opportunity to use your knowledge of the urban areas and introduce policies to improve the rural areas,” he said.

Dr Sim also pointed out that MPPs’ revenue would improve in the years to come because of housing development as he was planning to further develop Batu Kawa and Batu Kitang areas.

“As the local government, we are the front line and so do the councillors. I am glad that MPP has the six-year strategic plan, but never forget your core business like rubbish collecton and the maintenance of drainage and road and street lighting systems. Make sure that we do not hear any more complaint,” he said.

He also assured that he would do his best to help local councils in terms of funding for building infrastructure and public facilities.

By : Christopher Lidom, Sarawak Tribune

Date Posted : Friday 05-Aug-2016