Council continues to seek ways to get more funds
KUCHING: Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) will continue to look for more funds for development even though some areas under its jurisdiction will come under Serian District Council starting next year.
Its chairman, Lo Khere Chiang, said he was confident of finding more money as he had a dedicated team of councillors and staff.
He said the areas taken over by Serian District Council included Siburan, Tapah and Beratok.
“Even with over 400 sq. km given to SDC, we still have a big area. We will find ways to get more funds to develop our areas,” he told a press conference yesterday.
On a related matter, Lo gave a fresh reminder to the public not to be hoodwinked by the DAP, in particular Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong and Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant Dr Kelvin Yii, that he was using the excuse of not having enough funds to carry out development projects.
“They could easily find facts on how the council works, yet they prefer to mislead the people,” said Lo, who is also Batu Kitang assemblyman.
“Who says I’m not looking for funds?”
For instance, he said, MPP started with only RM7 million of Malaysia Road Records System (MARIS) fund, but today it is getting RM14 million.
“Do they know MPP has got 2,000 kilometres of roads to look after? Do they know that building a new road in Padawan will cost at least RM1million per kilometre?
“RM14 million will never be enough to look after the entire MPP areas, which is why we always need more money.”
Lo said development projects were already in progress in Batu Kawah and Batu Kitang, where SUPP won in this year’s state election.
“I may not be able to look after MPP areas 100 per cent but at least works are being carried out in many areas, like Batu Kawah and Batu Kitang,” he said.
“In just six months since we won both seats, we have been sourcing for funds and contributing to village security and development committees (JKKKs), Parent-Teacher Associations, churches, mosques, temples, and so on.”
Lo wondered what Yong had done for Pending, and how much funds she had sourced for her constituency all these years.