Liew (seated at centre), flanked by Joseph (third from left) and Fung, with government officers, Tawau P.190 parliamentary liaison officers and Tawau Municipal Councillors.
TAWAU: Call or text me directly if there are urgent issues to be addressed in the district, said Member of Parliament for Tawau, Datuk Christina Liew.
That was her message to the Tawau Municipal Council (MPT) Secretary, Joseph Pang and other government officers representing various departments and agencies during an inaugural meeting at the Urban Transformation Centre here on Monday.
Alternatively, they may call the Tawau P.190 Parliamentary Chief Liaison Officer, Fung Thin Yein, Liaison Officer Samsuri Baharuddin, Liaison Officer Robert Penggai or any of the other Tawau Municipal Councillors.
“My immediate concern is for regular water supply for the people of Tawau. This is a basic necessity. Almost every week, I receive complaints from the public about water shortage or irregular supply. I was informed that sometimes the taps are dry for two to three days. Do identify the cause(s). We must not cause any hardship to the people.
“I will be holding meetings with you once in two months or once a month if warranted so that appropriate action can be taken in tackling issues affecting the rakyat. We must resolve their woes,” she said.
Liew, who is also Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, has requested five departments/agencies to submit reports on problems facing the district to her so that these can be raised in the State Legislative Assembly or Parliament if Federal funding is necessary.
She expects to get the reports by the end of the month.
* The Water Department will prepare a report on proposed solutions (including the Cinta Mata dam project) to the perennial problem of water supply.
* The Tawau Municipal Council (MPT) will highlight the need for more low-cost houses under the People’s Housing Programme (or Program Perumahan Rakyat) as well as a multi-storey parking facility in the vicinity of the UTC.
* The Education Department will make a report on the pressing need for more staff rooms for teachers and more classrooms for students in several secondary schools.
* Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) is to present a working paper on the importance of upgrading the status of the Tawau Airport to that of an international airport.
* The National Security Council is to prepare a report on the condition of the Temporary Detention Centre in Tawau and what needs to be done.
On the necessary road infrastructure upgrading works, Liew said she would discuss the matter with the Minister of Infrastructure Development.
The rejection of applications for Malaysian citizenship was also brought to her attention as some were making repeated applications over the years but to no avail.
Meanwhile, she appealed to village residents not to throw rubbish into the river as this will cause pollution which is hazardous to their health.
An officer pointed out the need for more garbage bins in the rural areas to stop people from using the river as a dumping ground.
Other matters brought up by the officers concerned during the meeting included the Pan Borneo Highway, drainage improvement works to mitigate against flooding, fire outbreak at the landfill and late registration of births.