Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem answering questions by moderator Tan Sri Effendi Norwawi during the ‘Santai Dengan Tok Nan’ session in conjunction with the Lan Berambeh Anak Sarawak. (File photo)
KUCHING: Local councils have been reminded of their roles as front-liners for the government.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said as the third tier of government, councils are the closest to the people on the ground and must be efficient and professional.
“Council staff should always bear this in mind. If you do well, the government is praised. If you do badly, the government gets the blame. So I urge and advise all councils to do well, be concerned of the people, be caring, and do your best,” he said in a speech read by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing for the elevation of Samarahan District Council (SDC) to Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (KSMC) yesterday.
Adenan said all councils must always check on the people’s complaints, never take the people for granted, and never neglect the people and their duties.
“You collect rates and you get funds from the government. The revenues are for you to help the people. Therefore, be caring and be concerned of the people whom you serve.
“We look up to you to do your part as best as you can. We will back you in doing good things for the people,” he said.
On the upgrading of SDC to KSMC, Adenan said the state government approved it because Samarahan has grown and progressed over the years and meet the criteria for a municipality with a population of over 200,000 and revenue of more than RM20 million per annum.
In addition, he said Samarahan had also met the other conditions of a municipality as Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Teacher Education Institute Tun Abdul Razak Campus, National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) and the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) are all located there.
Samarahan is also home to the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra), Native Court, Majlis Adat Istiadat, Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra), the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre, two army camps, one air force camp, as well as the Tropical Peat Research Institute.
“Private development is also growing at a tremendous pace which has brought in the many housing estates, supermarkets, shops, offices and a shopping mall. It seems that the investors are coming in full force to Kota Samarahan, making the place vibrant and rapidly progressing. Things are moving really fast here,” he said.
“Judging from the trends, I can foresee that Kota Samarahan will become another big town and even one day become a city. And it will be a highly progressive and smart city.”