Edward (front row, second right) posing with the other PMC councillors, staff and villagers during the visit to Kampung Sibakar.
KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council (PMC) councillors and staff have travelled all the way to Kampung Sibakar in the upper Padawan area just to hear for themselves the villagers’ grouses and solve their problems.
Headed by Cr Edward Kurik, who is chairman of PMC community development standing committee cum the resident councillor of the area, the visit was part of PMC’s initiative to get closer with the community under its jurisdiction.
Edward described the visit as successful, saying a lot of requests have been put forward to PMC.
He said the aim of the visit was to help the residents and the communities in the area to solve some of the outstanding issues, particularly with regard to the requests that they have put forward to PMC for the last couple of years.
He noted that one of the outstanding issues that they felt needed to be addressed urgently was the proposed village library issue at Sibakar.
“After a series of meeting with the residents and the communities of the area, finally they agreed and come up with a conclusion to turn the old Balai Raya at Sibakar into the village library.
“Although the community leaders in principle agreed to the outcome of the meeting, certain issues needed to be settled amicably with PMC, especially on the legal issue,” he said.
Edward said the villagers had also requested for the street lighting to be increased along the Padawan area for the sake of security of the community and to improve the cleanliness in one of the villagers.
He said the villagers had complained that the stint from the chicken coup at one longhouse causes pollution and unhealthy environment to the nearby village.
Speaking during a dialogue session with the villagers, Edward said he had put a lot of effort in bringing PMC’s development to the area.
“Ever since I was selected to serve as councillor of PMC, my top priority is to see all these villages enjoy the basic facilities that the council could provide other than projects channelled by the government through the elected representatives and the councillors of the area,” he said.