Mayor reminds council members to focus on serving people
KUCHING: Members of Kuching South City Council ( MBKS) were reminded to focus on the people and not worry so much about politics as it is important that they work closely with one another and the people to ensure the council’s efficiency and effectiveness are maintained at all times.
MBKS mayor Datuk James Chan gave this advice when he chaired his last full council meeting yesterday.
“This is my last council meeting and I want to thank deputy mayor ( Hilmi Othman) and all the councillors for their teamwork in serving the people of Kuching City South,” he said.
“Don’t worry so much about politics. Instead we should worry about the people,” he said when met by reporters after chairing the meeting at MBKS headquarters here.
Chan’s term of office as mayor will expire on May 31 this year. He is the fourth mayor since Kuching was elevated to a city in 1988.
On the possibility of being reappointed, he said the decision rests with the government but expressed willingness to continue serving Kuching City South if given the opportunity.
“If we are fit, we will continue to serve the people. Our aim is to make sure that we carry out our responsibility and duty to our utmost best to ensure the wellbeing of the people in this city. That’s our priority,” he said.
In terms of services, Chan pointed out that Kuching City South has definitely seen improvement, more so now with the implementation of the IPeople App for the public to file complaints, get help or just to give feedback.
“This is the trend MBKS must embrace to move forward. Technology is important and needed for us to provide better services and meet the future needs of the people. This is very good because we can work with the people for a better Kuching City South,” he said.
On flash flood problem that the city had experienced especially during a heavy downpour, Chan admitted to have received a lot of complaints but the problem was not easy for the city council to deal with on its own.
“It (flash flood) may not be necessary due to blockage of drains. It could be the infrastructure that’s inadequate to handle the excess volume of water during heavy rainfall,” he explained.
“So there has to be a planning process involved on how to alleviate this problem but this is not only the responsibility of the council per se,” he said.
“I am sure the government will look at it and the council as part and parcel of the government team, we want to resolve the problem soonest possible but there must be proper planning to deal with this kind of problem in the city,” he added.
Flash flood woes affected not only Kuching city, Chan said, but also a problem for even larger city like Singapore.
“But as long as the people and the council work together, this problem can be minimised with continuous maintenance works on drains and roads to ensure smooth flow of rainwater,” he said.
Touching on the Ramadan Bazaar organised by MBKS near Stutong Market, he was happy to note that traders there have given priority to cleanliness and safety aspects.
“I am just overjoyed to see our diverse community mingle and enjoy themselves at the bazaar and this truly show unity and togetherness,” Chan added.