Datuk Bandar happy DBKU Agenda 2017 has empowered community
KUCHING: Datuk Bandar of Kuching North City Commission ( DB KU)DatukA bang AbdulWa ha p Abang Julai is delighted that the DBKU Agenda 2017 has achieved itsobjective of empowering the community.
He said this at the launching of DBKU Agenda 2017 at Jalan Depo here yesterday.
“Now is the right time for us to empower the people. We have a strong feeling that the people are with us, they are very supportive towards our programmes and activities.
“From our observation, there is an increase in the sense of ownership and belonging among the people,” he said before Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg launched the event.
Abang Wahap said DBKU had empowered the community through contracts such as cleaning the Maong market, collecting waste in Kampung Bako, managing the Buntal Esplanade as well as ditch clearing and grass cutting.
He added that these contracts had been offered to individuals who were interested in and capable of delivering the work.
“This programme that engages the community will be expanded in future in line with our efforts to turn Kuching into one of the cleanest, most beautiful, safest and most talked- about cities in Asia by this year.”
Beginning this year, he said the commission had implemented two new programmes namely ‘Smoke- Free Zone’ and ‘ Kiss Plastic Goodbye’.
On the ‘Smoke-Free Zone’ programme, he stressed that the commission was not banning smoking or going to enforce the law just yet.
He said the programme would educate the people on the risk of smoking and the impact of secondhand smoke.
“It is the responsibility of the premises operators to determine smoking and non-smoking zones and the community is empowered to decide where to sit to enjoy the food.”
Last December, Abang Wahap said DBKU would enforce a smoke- free zone in all coffee shops, public toilets and open spaces in its jurisdictions from Jan 1, 2017.
He added that all the 320 licensed eateries within the DBKU area would display a smoke-free zone notice.
More importantly, he said DBKU would make no- smoking zones one of the conditions for coffee shops to obtain a licence from the effective date.
According to him, DBKU will not issue compounds as it is the responsibility of the Health Department under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004, which provides for a RM5,000 fine or a year’s jail.
On ‘ Kiss Plastic Goodbye’, he said the public would be encouraged to use biodegradable plastic bags instead of the non-biodegradable ones.