Six councils identified for pilot project on providing emergency services

0

KUCHING: The state has identified six local councils for a pilot project on providing emergency services outside office hours this year.

Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the 24-hour, seven days a week emergency services, that will be known as ‘Skuad 24/7’ will involve Padawan Municipal Council, Samarahan Municipal Council, Sri Aman District Council, Sibu Municipal Council, Miri City Council and Bintulu Development Authority.

“We have agreed to conduct this pilot project for six local councils first. They will form a mobile squad (in providing emergency services outside office hours) like what Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) is doing.

“Of course, the local councils will have to work together with other agencies when they receive complaints for things like clogged drains, traffic jam, street lighting not functioning, electricity supply affected due to felled trees,” he told a press conference after

chairing a cabinet committee meeting on performance and service delivery transformation at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.

In describing the emergency services as a very good measure, Awang Tengah said the local councils are expected to respond immediately the moment they receive complaints from the public through their hotlines.

Providing emergency services outside office hours is among the concerns highlighted under key service delivery, which is among key focus areas under performance and service delivery transformation.

The key focus areas (KFA) under performance and service delivery transformation are service delivery, state public relations strategy, quality of education and human capital, societal wellbeing and Sarawak as sports powerhouse.

Awang Tengah said the state government was committed to improve and enhance its services to the public through enhancing its One Stop Services among others, via Integrated Multi Services Counters (iMSC) at all Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) in the state.

“This concept of iMSC aims to enhance customers’ experience and maximising the range of services at one location which transcends the old ways of counter services to a more integrated approach where services offered by the counters are not limited to their own agencies.”

Awang Tengah said the other area of concern under service delivery is making doing business easier to attract investors to Sarawak.

“In line with this, the state is looking into the development of good regulatory practices through the setting up of State Policy and Framework on the Development and Implementation of Regulation (SPDIR). This framework will cover the improvement of new and existing business processes and system in the state.”

He said the next area of concern is project delivery excellence which is to enhance the Pre-Contract Phase of Project Management so that projects can be implemented more efficiently and in a cost effective manner that would reduce the probability of delayed and sick projects with emphasis on deliverables of infrastructure projects and Rural Transformation Projects (RTP).

As to state public relations strategy, Awang Tengah said public relations today has more dynamic roles in shaping reputation and is a catalyst to sustainability, adding that public relations practitioners will have to strategise and keep up with the latest trends in the dissemination of information.

“However, we should not forget the two-way communication process of information. There is a need for the state civil service to connect, consult and explain to the rakyat to ensure better acceptance.”

On quality education and human capital, Awang Tengah said it focuses on means to enhance students’ learning with the aspiration to effectively elevate the quality of students’ learning outcomes and to prepare students and teachers to sustain in the global competitive environment.

“The KRA focuses on nurturing excellence in teaching where we wish to provide specific training for teachers to enhance their skills. By supporting and nurturing teachers’ development, we hope teachers can be well prepared for the teaching challenges and demands in this new era. Besides, we also wish to instil leadership qualities among headmasters and school principals to attain Sarawak’s education aspirations.”

On societal wellbeing, he said there are three initiatives under the KRA namely; public confidence on their safety and security (fear of crime), solidarity (unity in diversity key to Sarawak’s progress and prosperity) and self-reliance among welfare  recipients.

“As for public confidence on their safety and security (fear of crime), programmes to enhance Neighbourhood Watch Area (KRT) contribution in crime prevention by contributing crime intelligence to enforcement agencies by all the 935 KRT units throughout Sarawak.”

On making Sarawak a sports powerhouse, Awang Tengah said in the last Malaysia Games (Sukma), Sarawak was just short of three golds to become the champion, adding that considering the next Sukma will be held next year, the state needs to have a structured, efficient and effective way of managing Sukma, the sport facilities and sport talents if it wants to be a sports powerhouse.

Besides that, he said Youth and Sports and Solidarity Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin is trying to revive Sukan Sarawak (Suksa) as part of the measures to unearth talents for the development of sports among Sarawakians.

“We have our own curriculum and trainers. Our sports associations must be managed professionally. Sometimes, there are a lot of politics (in the sports associations) but for us in Sarawak, we are very lucky. We also want to work with the Education Department to develop potential athletes from school so we must do certain programmes.”