Wrong to point finger at BN councillors — Upko Youth
PENAMPANG : The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) Youth here said it is wrong for leaders of Parti Warisan Sabah and PKR to point a finger at Barisan Nasional-appointed councillors on the proposal to introduce parking fees at the Donggongon new township and other major commercial areas.
The movement said blaming the Penampang District Council (PDC), particularly BN-appointed councillors without fully understanding the council’s rationale behind the move only shows that the opposition leaders are just using the issue for cheap political mileage.
“They are just assuming ... They really do not understand the real issue and the benefits behind the measure proposed by PDC,” Upko Youth deputy chief Adrian Siponong said.
Recently, Moyog assemblyman Terrence Siambun who is now with Warisan Sabah and PKR Penampang chief Kenny Chua had expressed their opposition to the proposed introduction of parking fees.
Siambun said he did not understand the rationale behind the proposal and questioned the BN-appointed councillors and District Officer Luvita Koisun for making such proposal.
“What is the reason behind for the councillors to come up with the proposal to charge parking fees in the Donggongon township considering the area is mostly with low and middle income earners who are already struggling to meet their financial commitments?”
The assemblyman added: “I was made to understand the rationale is to discourage people from parking at Donggongon township and to take a bus to the city proper”.
Siambun and Chua also claimed the timing is bad considering the current economic situation that has been burdening people in the low and medium income bracket.
Siponong said PDC had released public notice inviting all concerned parties to give opinions on the intention to review Provision of Parking Places By-Law.
“It’s wrong to accuse the BNappointed councillors for PDC’s proposal to review the said bylaw,” the youth chief stressed, adding that he is also thankful that the party’s district youth chief Carl Monsoom who is also PDC appointed councillor together with three other colleagues understand the sentiments of the people in the district.
“Your views (Siambun and Chua) on the parking fee issue is lauded but to point finger at the district councillors is ridiculous and made only based on assumption”.
Furthermore, he said it is clearly stated that any by-law introduced by the PDC must be displayed to the public to give chance for the community to view their comments, opinions or objections before it can be gazetted and implemented.
He said PDC will not enforce any reviewed by-laws without giving a 14-day notice for the public to express objections and other reasons.
“The councillors do not propose and immediately enforce but must go through many processes in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) ,” Siponong reiterated.
He also agreed that it is not yet time for PDC to enforce parking fees in the questioned areas because of the present economic scenario faced by the residents in Penamapang.
He said PDC should focus first on other pressing problems in Penampang like addressing its flood mitigation projects, pollution of Moyog River as a result of upstream hill cutting, proper collection of garbage in various housing estates, problematic drainage system in commercial areas , road conditions at Beverly Hills and Country Heights, including malfunctioned street lights and traffic jams during peak hours amongst others.
“The Penampang Upko Youth is humbly urging PDC to look first into these more pressing problems instead of pushing the proposed parking fee issue,” he stressed.