Ministries to work together to get more federal funds for local councils

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KUCHING: Minister of Environment and Public Health Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said his ministry would work closely with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to get more funds from the federal government to be disbursed to local councils.

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Wong (seated sixth left) with Tan on his right together with the PMC councillors after the swearing-in ceremony.

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Wong (seated sixth left) with Tan on his right together with the PMC councillors after the swearing-in ceremony.

“We will need financial assistance from the federal government to do our work better and increase the physical development in the cities and towns in the state,” he said.

In this, his ministry would work with the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, he said at the swearing-in of 26 councillors of Padawan Municipal Council (PMC) at Kota Padawan, yesterday.

Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, noted that there are still more work to be done to develop the state’s infrastructure.

He was glad to note that for the first time ever, local councils in the state, including those in Sabah, were given allocations by the federal government.

Some RM28.3 million has been given to the state to be shared by 26 local councils.

From this, PMC got RM2,314,250, Wong said, adding that another RM9,466,790 will be given by the state government as a statutory grant.

To all councillors, Wong urged them to carry out their responsibilities with dedication and sincerity.

“The political leaders are watching you as potential leaders, so you must be committed to your tasks.”

He stressed that reports will be obtained from all councils annually to gauge the performance of their councillors.

The minister also told the councillors that being in the frontline of government they are crucial links with the people.

They must help create goodwill, forge solidarity, and foster social bonding among the people of various races and religions.

“You have very important roles to play to reflect what 1Malaysia is all about,” he said.

Wong also reminded them not to skip sub-committee meetings of their councils and the full council meetings as they are important in charting out plans to serve the people better.

Earlier on, PMC chairman, Tan Joo Phoi, said the council had embarked on its strategic plan for the period from 2010 to 2015.

On the council’s assessment rates, he said RM16,539,454 was collected last year; down one per cent from the previous year’s. The collection target was RM19,944,567.

According to him, this decrease was partly due to the global economic crisis.

He also said that the council recorded 61,446 properties last year – an increase of 3.44 per cent. There were 59,334 during the previous year.

On the Urban Poverty Eradication Programme, Tan, who is also Batu Kawah assemblyman, said a total of RM689,490 was received from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government last year and disbursed to 418 poor families.

A sum of RM2,801,100 under the programme has benefited 1,228 families from 2006 until last year, he said.