Dennis (third right) receives a memento from Anthony. Witnessing from right are Balan, Baru, Peter and Exra.
MARUDI: Longhouse community leaders including those heading the village development and security committees (JKKKs) should always be open to ideas from fellow villagers when it comes to local development.
In this regard, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said holding regular meetings as one of viable ways for them to gain input from members of their respective neighbourhoods.
“You have to be active. There are times when you’re unable to come up with good ideas on your own but through brainstorming sessions with your committees and villagers, you are able to gather great feedback from them.
“It’s also not wrong – in fact, it’s beneficial for you to engage the young, educated people from nearby towns so that they can contribute some good ideas as well,” he said during a meeting at the house of newly-appointed Penghulu Anthony Kule Lalo in Kampung Tanjung Tepalit near here yesterday.
It was the first meeting for the community leaders from the San area of the Upper Baram, involving more than 100 local government officials, longhouse chieftains and JKKK heads including Telang Usan District Officer Baru Tai, Long Bedian Sub-District state administrative officer (SAO) Exra Uda, councillor Peter Bit Sepang, political secretary to chief minister Charles Balan Seling and SMK Datu Temenggong Lawai Jau Long San principal Richard Emang.
Taking Kampung Long Bedian as an example, Dennis said the leaders there had begun planning the development there since the 70s.
“The (Telang Usan) district officer Emang Oyo, who was the SAO for Long Lama back then, even came back to contribute his ideas. Look at Kampung Long Bedian today,” he said.
Moreover Dennis, who is also PBB Telang Usan chairman, suggested the local community leaders to set their respective key performance indicators (KPI) just like those subscribed by the elected people’s representatives.
“You, the headmen, are not just the leaders of your communities; you are also the government leaders – the representatives of your assemblymen and parliamentarians. Work out your KPIs just like we do to ensure that you could serve your followers well,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dennis also took the opportunity to congratulate Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg for his appointment as the sixth chief minister of Sarawak. The assemblyman believed that Abang Johari had a wealth of experience and also the calibre to take on the responsibility once shouldered by the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
“We hope that the new chief minister would continue the work of ‘Tok Nan’ (Adenan).”
especially on rural development,” he said.