Towards better living

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Mayor says plans being worked out to improve KMC flats and the surrounding areas

Chan (seated, third right) in a group photo with members of Kuching-Samarahan Hawkers Association and Kuching City South Hawkers Association at his office in MBKS building.

KUCHING: A master plan has been drawn up to provide tenants of the so-called KMC flats here with an environment that is more conducive to living under an ‘urban renewal programme’, reveals Kuching South Mayor Dato James Chan.

According to him, currently the relevant authorities, particularly the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, are doing the necessary feasibility studies to determine the best approach to improve the 500 units of KMC flats.

“I understand from the Minister (of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian) that the government is going for the so-called urban renewal. And I understand the present minister himself has talked to the tenants and told them the so-called ‘urban renewal’ to get their feedback.

“I heard they said it’s okay except that they are just concerned about the availability of place for them to stay (during construction).

“So, I think it will take quite a bit of time as the minister has said he has a certain plan, this so-called ‘renewal plan’ not only for the KMC flats but will also include the Padungan area (where these flats are located). So I think that’s going to be good news for the people who stay there,” Chan told The Borneo Post after receiving a courtesy call from two hawkers associations at his office in Kuching South City Council (MBKS) building yesterday.

According to Chan, the tenants only pay a monthly rent of just over a RM100 for a unit of these flats, which were built during the colonial days as ‘transit’ houses.

Chan assured them that should the plan be implemented in future, it would benefit the people as well as the city itself.

“I think it would take about five years as you need to come up with a concrete plan, getting the feedback and carrying out environmental studies,” said the mayor, hoping that the tenants would always pay their monthly rent on time.

“It’s a minimal rental and MBKS is hoping for them to assist the council in settling the minimal rents,” he said, without giving details on the number of defaulters.

On a related issue, Chan who has been the mayor over the last 10 years, stressed that his main concern is to ensure that the city remains safe and liveable.

“In the past few years, areas under MBKS have seen a lot of developments taking place, not only shopping complexes but also low-cost and luxury housing. As a mayor, I can say that the assessment rate is still low as it is based on the old rate of 1965 rental value. And I think there’s a slight reduction made by the previous CM (chief minister).

“As a mayor, of course I hope that more housing and development would come up under MBKS area, because if there are more developments taking place, then there would be more revenues for the council,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chan disclosed that MBKS is a beneficiary of the Malaysian Roads Records Information System (Marris) Fund to improve basic infrastructure, like repairing deteriorating roads and drains.

“So under this Marris programme, we can ensure that areas that are deteriorating, could be repaired. In a way, this will reduce flooding in low-lying areas,” he added.

When contacted, Dr Sim said the experts were ‘doing the necessary on the plan, before we hold public consultation’.