All penghulu-led areas in Marudi to have standardised local rules
MIRI: All areas headed by penghulus in Marudi constituency will have standardised local rules and laws to ensure there is no disparity between the many longhouses and villages therein.
Marudi assemblyman Datu Dr Penguang Manggil told a press conference here yesterday that longhouses in Marudi had their own local rules and laws, with different penalties imposed on the offenders.
“I want to standardise and harmonise these rules, in terms of culture and laws in all areas having penghulus to avoid dispairities. We also need to implement a standardised local rules,” he said after chairing a special meeting with local community leaders at Miri City Council premises here yesterday.
As an example, he said, the different longhouses now had different penalties for the same offence but once these rules were standardised, all longhouses would have the same kind of penalty for similar offences.
Penguang also reminded all community leaders in his constituency to behave well and play role model for the people under their care.
“What you do and not able to do, please be reminded that you are role models. You must behave well, not only when taking care of your areas but also how you carry yourself,” he said.
On another development, Penguang said he had taken steps to address the issue of schools in Marudi with insufficient number of students.
“In Beluru, there will be three centralised schools and this will be done in three phases,” he said.
Phase I will involve three schools, namely SK Beluru Central, SK Sungai Biar and SK Sungai Selepin.
“We had a very productive dialogue about this recently, and I am happy to note that most, if not all, agreed for these schools to be centralised at SK Beluru Central.
“This is for the good of all, because by centralising these schools the government will be able to focus its energy and resources to provide the best facilities, including hostels and boarding houses for the students. We will also be able to maximise the expertise of the teachers.”
Schools to be centralised under phase 2 are SK Sungai Seputi, SK Sungai Kelabit, SK Sungai Laong and SK Sungai Bakas.
“For this phase, I will ask the help of a task force as well as use the service of community leaders and councillors to identify a central location for the four schools, which would materialise in 2020 or 2021.”
Schools for phase 3 are SK Sungai Buri, SK Lepong Ajai, SK Sungai Liam and SK Entulang. They will be centralised at SK Sungai Entulang.
At the same function, he distributed cheques totalling RM155,000 to 10 longhouses in Marudi.
The allocations are for projects carried out under the Prime Minister’s Special Funding Projects 2017.
“Today, we are giving out the final payment for the Prime Ministers Special Funding Project which was announced before the 2016 election.
“This is part of the RM3 million allocation set aside for 59 projects in total,” he added.