Back to the future?

SOMETIMES I complain about this that and the other, but today I must give credit where it’s due. I’m referring to the idea of government departments delivering public services on a normal working day under one roof.

One aspect of this concept of one-stop counter under the National Blue Ocean Strategy was adopted in 2009 by the federal government in order to reduce expenditure spent on renting private buildings to accommodate the various government departments. It saves money, time and hassle for all users of government services.

All the services rendered at the UTC (Urban Transformation Centre) in Kuching are hard to beat. As a success story, it must be told. At least, the taxpayers cannot complain; here, expenditure on running the UTCs in Kuching, Sibu and Miri is worth their money. Hopefully service at one-stop counters like UTC will be replicated in most of the big towns throughout the state. Has Bintulu got one? Serian? Bandar Sri Aman? Kapit? Limbang?

One must give credit where credit is due. And this credit goes to the present Prime Minister, who adopted this National Blue Ocean Strategy seven years ago. And to the previous PM and his team, who had mooted the idea for application in Malaysia.

I have seen how UTC works in Kuching and I must admit I was impressed with what I saw.

Within one hour you can accomplish what you have come to do.

On Thursday morning, I went to have a look at the place myself. I was there two years ago but then only certain federal government departments were in operation. This time the state government has counters catering for the needs of the people who wish to pay various government bills, assessment rates and land rent and premium.

Services are also provided by the local governments: MBKS, DBKU, Padawan Municipal Council. Also by the Department of Agriculture, Sarawak Tourism Board and Sarawak Economic Development Corporation.

The Information Centre is impressive – full of pictures of orang-utans in their various poses.

There is even a poster with ‘Dapati Duit Cepat’ (Get Quick Money). I wanted to get in and make some money but at the time it was closed. This was 9.30am. ATM machines are available for those who have money in the bank. For those who want to invest, there is an insurance counter.

A couple of massage chairs are around for those with aching muscles. Other organisations have their counters – Azam has a cosy lounge. No one was there at the time; I wanted to pay my utang (membership subscription).

At the centre, the federal departments such as the JPN (National Registration Department), the Immigration, and the Road Transport Department are there. These departments are easily the busiest; they are also the most efficient.

Applying for a new international passport or renewing it, go to the Immigration counter.

When your child (Malaysian citizen) has reached the age of 12, get for him or her a MyKad; for this service, go to the JPN counter. If your driving licence is about to expire, go to the JPJ counter.

When I wanted to find out what counter would help process the registration of a political party, I was told to go to Jalan Wan Alwi.

“Not here, Nek,” said the man in uniform.

Feeling giddy? There’s an air-conditioned Klinik 1Malaysia. Nearby is a room where police officers are serious at work. Go there if you have another kind of trouble. I saw two people waiting their turn to lodge a report of some sort. Useful to have the police around.

Did you know that you may have to fill in certain application forms in order to get married? These Borang Kahwin KC 02 are available at the JPN counter. Fill in all the particulars of yourself and those of your future spouse and go to the JPN counter for further advice as what to do next with the Yellow Forms.

During the hour that I was inside the UTC, except for the Immigration and the National Registration counters, there were only a few people at the other counters at that time of day. When I left there were more people coming up the escalators.

Where are all these good things happening?

This building was supposed to be a parking centre. On the top floor there’s a food centre called Top Spot, seafood its forte.

It’s within walking distance from a number of hotels, banks and shopping malls. The old part of Kuching called Padungan is just round the corner. The Waterfront Walk is at the waterfront. Where else?

The UTC occupies several floors down. Good food, good service, what else do you want?

Not a new concept, really

The Brookes used this concept a hundred over years ago. The forts, like Alice in Simanggang, were government offices dealing with all facets of the administration, as well as residence for the chief administrator, a court, and a prison. The prisoners were also employed as labourers, to cut grass, paddle boats and whatever was necessary. In fact, the socially acceptable term for serving a prison sentence used to be ‘helping the government’!

During the Rajah’s time, the old district office at Lundu accommodated all available services – land rent, head tax collection, stamp sales, district treasurer’s office, gun and ammunition dealers, crocodile bounty (paid per foot of the length) on the first floor. On the second, there was the court room and a lock-up for remand prisoners. The convicts were sent to Sarawak (Kuching). When the new district office was built in 1950, the whole of the first floor was used for government departments and the top floor was used for the family of the District Officer. The police had their own station by 1951 and in it was the cell or lock-up. But the magistrates’ court was in the District Office.

The idea of one-stop service centres was not called National Blue Ocean Strategy in those days – a chap on the run from the law might have considered it to be “between the D***l and the Deep Blue Sea” – but the concept is more or less similar.

It is a good concept; it saves a lot of public money instead of renting floor space for government use. The conversion of government-owned buildings like car parks and empty government quarters and fully utilised for public service is most sensible.