Dr Sim speaks at the Chinese New Year open house.
KUCHING: The Ministry of Local Government and Housing has set its sights to digitalise services provided by all local councils in Sarawak.
Its minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the utilisation of digital technologies for the services would be a boon for members of the public because Sarawak is moving towards digitisation.
“By using digital technologies, everything will be convenient for the public. They do not have to get out of their houses to pay their bills for instance because everything can be done through their smart phones.
“They can also be the eyes and ears of the local councils in terms of service (improvement),” he said when officiating at a Chinese New Year open house at Padawan Municipal Council (PMC) in Kota Padawan Friday evening.
Dr Sim added that PMC should have access to better facilities as he deemed their premises ‘too small’ to serve more than 70,000 people under its jurisdiction.
“We have to look at how to get a bigger building so that they can put more and better facilities to it.
“Instead of using a foyer or tents to hold functions like this CNY do, the PMC should have a proper auditorium and a banquet hall,” he added.
He also suggested that the PMC’s enforcement officers be increased, and given proper (auxillary police) training equipped with patrol cars in an effort to create a safe and smart municipality.
“They will assist the police in keeping peace and safety in the jurisdiction,” he said.
PMC chairman Lo Khere Chiang and his deputy Dato Ahmad Ibrahim were also present at the function.