DALAT: It is very important for the people to share the duty of keeping their environment bright, clean and secure in order to produce a dynamic, progressive, healthy and safe community.
GO GREEN: Fatimah assisted by Philip planting a flower plant as Yussibnosh (standing second right) Penghulu Lim (standing right), Penghulu Sera (standing second left) and others look on in front of Dalat District Office yesterday.
Fatimah made the remarks in her speech at the official launching of district-level ‘gotong-royong perdana’ held at Dalat District Office yesterday.
Fatimah was the guest-of-honour at the function attended by deputy Mukah Resident (social) Philip Peter Salam, District Officer Yussibnosh Balo, Penghulu Sera Ewal, Penghulu Lim Chee Kiew, government officers and community leaders.
Additionally, Fatimah also called on the people to be proactive and committed in doing welfare works and voluntary services in order to create a happy, united and harmonious community.
“It is the collective duty of the people to preserve the cleanliness, hygiene, safety, welfare and development within their respective community at all times. This can only be effectively done through the spirit of working together or community spirit and sense of unity and belonging among members of the society,” said Fatimah who coined the term of ‘5K’ to described the five elements as ‘Kebersihan, Kesihatan, Keselamatan, Kebajikan, Kemajuan’ in Bahasa Malaysia and told her audience to keep their home clean and tidy, including the compound because a clean and beautiful environment actually starts from home.
Talking about welfare, Fatimah called on the people not to view welfare with just giving financial assistances to the poor and needy. She said that the meaning and concept of welfare goes beyond that as it also encompasses the social, emotional and cultural aspects, which include housing, safety, emotional needs and well-being of the people.
“In fact, I totally agree with Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (former minister-in-charge of welfare) for saying that ‘welfare begins from cradle to grave’, which underlined the importance of welfare to the people at large,” said Fatimah.
Fatimah also presented several young trees to some recipients before she planted several flower trees together with other distinguished guests in front of Dalat District Office to mark the occasion.