MORE young people should be roped in as councillors to give them a chance to serve the community.
They can be picked from young entrepreneurs, technocrats and young professionals in the state, especially those with tertiary education.
“They will not only be given a chance to serve the community but also give their brilliant views and ideas to raise the prestige of our local councils in the eyes of the community,” opined Pantai Damai assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi at the third session of the 17th State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday.
He gave his opinion during the tabling of the Local Authorities (Amendment) Bill, 2013 to amend the Local Authorities (LA) Ordinance, 1996.
He also suggested that young professionals be involved in administration matters in local authorities not covered by the ordinance like Kuching North City Commission (DBKU).
“They can form a special committee or consultative council, and if these methods are carried out, the younger generation can help DBKU in enhancing their service to the local community,” he said.
Dr Abdul Rahman also voiced his support for the motion to increase the number of councillors in local authorities state-wide from 24 or 25 to 30.
“With the addition of more members in the local authorities, the standard of service by the local authorities is sure to be more steady and all-encompassing,” he said.
He added that the administration of Sarawak differs from other states in Malaysia, as it is harder to give the best and complete service to the community due to its geography and scattered settlements.
“In Sarawak, every inch of land and area is placed under a local authority’s rule covering all cities, towns, suburbs and rural areas,” he said, when drawing comparison with the local authorities in Peninsular Malaysia where each local authority has a certain boundary.