Shorter opening hours for UTCs disappointing — SAPP
KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Ministry of Finance ordered all Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs) nationwide to shorten their operating hours starting on the 22nd of this month, an action which is equivalent to canceling the service that is benefiting to the people.
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) information chief Chin Vui Kai said the people have yet to see any plan which is beneficial to the people now prepared to lose their existing rights. It is really disappointing.
He pointed out that UTC was established in Kota Kinabalu, Keningau and Tawau and had been operating from 8 am to 9 pm, allowing people, largely employees to conveniently process their official documentations after general office hours.
“The ministry’s plan to shorten UTC’s operating hours, which opens only from 8 am to 5 pm, will affect millions of people in the country. This practice of operating from 8 am to 5 pm was only applicable during the Ramadan month, before the latest order.”
He said many local media had visited UTCs and found that there were a high number of visitors to UTC between 5 pm to 9 pm.
“It proves that there is a great demand during the evening time.”
Chin issued a statement yesterday stressing that the people expected for the new government to continue the good projects and policies, to rectify deficiencies, instead of blindly retaliating and chopping all former government measures.
He stated that the federal government should not deprive the Sabah people of the right to convenient and efficient public services and not add more burden to the people of Sabah.
“If the Federal Ministry of Finance is unwilling to retain UTC’s operating hours in Sabah, they should expedite to return 40% federal tax payable to Sabah, and hand over the management of UTC to the Sabah government.”
Chin reminded the Pakatan Harapan government, especially the Minister of Finance, Lim Guan Eng, not to forget the promises made to the Sabah people, by returning 20% in oil royalty and 40% in federal tax to Sabah.