MBKS has taken appropriate action, says mayor
KUCHING: Kuching South City Council ( MBKS) has taken appropriate action against “illegal activities threatening the peace and security of the residents” as demanded by acting chairman of Taman Stutong Indah Neighbourhood Watch Chong Kok Khan.
MBKS mayor Datuk James Chan said he had met with Chong to iron out the issue while the council had also taken action within its authority.
“That is a neighbourhood area, we will act according to our ordinance and law, but it has to be a team effort from everybody. I have arranged meetings with them, and the council through its management has taken the appropriate action.
“We have noted whatever things they have said. They have asked for a response from the council and I have asked city secretary to issue the letter concerned. We are taking action, for example, remove the signage,” he said when met by reporters at the Jubilee Ground here yesterday.
Chan said the council had also written to ‘ the parties concerned’ as he was briefed by the council’s management that other residents in the same neighbourhood had also infringed the council’s regulations.
He also felt that it was unfair to just ‘ pinpoint at MBKS per se’ when the issue involved the community and would require the co- operation of all for a solution.
“We have to work together, this is a community problem. I think everybody can chip in, the earlier we can combine together to resolve this thing, the better it is.
“I have talked to those people (Chong and other residents) and they are quite happy about it anyway. So we leave it at that. He was saying why mayor never said anything.
“I said the council is aware of the problem, and I as the mayor have given the directive for certain action to be taken.
“Whatever the problem is, we try to resolve. Let the management come up with a plan on how to resolve the problem. That said, we are a friendly council and we want to give guilty people time to make amends.”
Chan asserted that MBKS always offered chances to its people, adding: “I always talk first and we see how we can do it.”
To a question, he said: “I would not set a time frame because it depends on everybody, not just the council alone.”
On security, he said the police and even Rela had to play their part given that the council was not empowered with such enforcement.
“Just because MBKS is friendly and I’m agreeable to talk to you, you start to aim at MBKS, I do not think it is right. In general, it cannot be just one council to solve the problem. We may not have that necessary power, but we are doing it. But of course it may take time. I do not think it is possible to do it in one day. We have to be practical about it.”
Of late, Chong told The Borneo Post: “I am demanding that MBKS and Land and Survey Department ( LSD) to act legally to protect citizens.”
He voiced concerns regarding a house located at Lorong 12A, Taman Stutong Indah which had been converted into a commercial premises allegedly with no building plan approval, no occupational permit and operating without a trading licence.
He said if they failed to take actions, residents there would take legal action against the two authorities.
Chong demanded that MBKS order the owner to take down the signage installed at the building which was illegally erected at the premises.
He also said that LSD should issue a letter under Section 33 of the Land Code to the proprietor, ordering them to stop their commercial operation and order them to pay a fine of RM10,000 and take subsequent actions under the law for non- compliance.