Parking fees, night market plans
Penampang District Council hopes the Local Government and Housing Ministry would approve and gaze e the car park by-law in Penampang soon to ease traffic conges on in Donggongon Town.
KOTA KINABALU: The Penampang District Council implemented 36 infrastructure upgrade projects worth RM9,709,767.68 in Penampang between 2015 and 2016.
District Officer Luvita Koisun said the district was set to see more developments as well as additional commercial shops houses that could bring about more economic opportunities and further increase in population.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for the district council’s new members held at a hotel near here yesterday, Luvita said in line with the developments that would take place at the district, it was imperative for legislative factors to be at par to enable the council to carry out its functions, roles and enforcements more effectively.
Luvita said the Local Government and Housing Ministry had approved several by-laws which included, among others, the council’s by-law to compound offences.
She expressed hope that the ministry would also approve and gazette the car park by-law in Penampang as soon as possible as this could help ease the heavy traffic congestion that had been plaguing Donggongon Town.
“It is still a draft. We have sent it to the ministry and we hope they will gazette it this year,” she said.
Luvita also shared plans to open a night market at Donggongon to liven up the town at night.
She said the town lacked activities at night and would like to make Penampang a hub for food truckers every night between 6pm to 11pm.
“We are in the process of preparing the documents and we hope that by the end of March or by April, we can have a grand opening of the night market,” she said.
She added that the idea for the night market came about when a lot of people approached the council for slots to carry out their business at the tamu and weekend market.
Meanwhile, 18 people were sworn in as members of the Penampang District Council for the 2017 to 2018 session, yesterday.
They were Datuk Thasius Joeman, Datuk Gerald Goh, Adrian Sikawah, Balachandran Ramachandran, Chee Kim Heng, Chong Pak Leong, Carl Moosom, Cheong Kwee Min, Chin Swee Ming @ Robert, John Chryso Masabal, Judy Hiew @ Judy Hiew Mui Nyuk, Lee Yun Meng @ Alvin, Minsol Josue, Mohd Fadli Abdullah @ Pisol, Philip Ryman, Stephen Jacob Jimbangan and Vilina Passon John.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Haji Hajiji Haji Noor in his speech read by his assistant minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam said the appointment was a heavy and important responsibility.
He said as members of the council, they should not use the appointment as an opportunity to seek out their own self-interest, nor that of their friends and relatives.
“The focus should be on the needs of the public,” he said.