Moving towards a healthy city
Abang Johari says clean, pleasant city environment vital in attracting investments and talents
We have to find ways and means to overcome obstacles and politics and get into the business of healthy living. Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Chief Minister
KUCHING: The Sarawak government is embarking on a journey to meet the expectations of city dwellers while adopting the concept of a ‘healthy city’.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the journey would, however, not be a walk in the park due to various challenges and politicking.
“While the journey is not easy, the path ahead is clear. We have to find ways and means to overcome obstacles and politics and get into the business of healthy living,” said Abang Johari at the opening of the 8th Alliance For Healthy Cities (AFHC) Global Conference and General Assembly 2018 held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching ( BCCK) yesterday.
He also outlined the key areas that need emphasis when it comes to the implementation of the healthy city concept in Kuching.
Over the years, the Sarawak government has planned Kuching City to be a competitive and healthy city which is vital for economic progress as it attracts investments, talents and a desire to make life better for everybody, he said
“Kuching has grown to be a big and thriving city in Sarawak that it is today through the foresight and efforts of my predecessors,” he added.
However, the challenge for the present Sarawak government, he pointed out, is to elevate Kuching City to the next level of development.
“We are now coming to the limits of city development as presented by existing infrastructure of Kuching City. The existing public transport system consisting of buses, taxis and private cars is beginning to create regular traffic jams at particular junctions and times, a situation which is stressful because we are not used to traffic jams of any form here,” he added.
For the future growth of Kuching City, he said the government needs to rethink the city’s public transport system.
“We may need to introduce the bus rapid transit ( BRT) and the light rail transit ( LRT). The idea is not only to solve existing traffic problems but to prepare the basic infrastructure of the city for significant growth in the coming years, with a doubling of its population and growth of its economy,” he added.
A good public transport system, he said, will allow efficient connectivity of integrated wholesome townships. Each township shall be self- contained and provide proper housing for ordinary people made affordable with the support of good jobs and business opportunities to achieve a good standard of living.
“Integrated whole some townships are a more balanced approach to ensuring that housing is affordable for ordinary people,” he highlighted.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday declined to comment on the Darul Hana Musical Fountain which was alleged to be excessively priced.
He merely answered “no comment” when asked by a reporter during a press conference that was held after the launch of the 8th Alliance For Healthy Cities (AFHC) at BCCK yesterday.
“No comment, today we are talking about a healthy city,” said Abang Johari who quickly invited other questions from the media.
Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How had queried the RM31million price tag of the musical fountain that is built along the river in front of the State Legislative Assembly Complex.
On Tuesday, See questioned the high price of the project, which is only around 80 metres and was not throughout the opposite side of the Kuching Waterfront. He rationalised his suspicion by comparing it to the recently completed Darul Hana Bridge or Golden ‘ S’ bridge across the Sarawak River which cost the state RM35 million, and the floating mosque which is projected to cost only RM10.6 million.
“Is the Darul Hana Musical Fountain such a monumental engineering feat equal to the Darul Hana Bridge or three times the cost of the floating mosque?” he was quoted as saying.
During the press conference, Abang Johari said the people should be more disciplined to keep the Sarawak River and the city’s surrounding clean.
He was referring to reports of public littering after the launch of the Darul Hana Musical Fountain on Oct 14 where rubbish could be seen strewn across the Kuching Waterfront.
“When there is a large crowd, some of the people are disciplined while some are not. It is a question of individuals and a question of convenience,” said Abang Johari.
He further said the issue is not about the council preparing enough rubbish bins, but about people who choose convenience to discard their rubbish instead of putting it away properly.
“This is why the people of Kuching must learn to treat Kuching as your own house. It will take time to educate the people ( here) on how to treat rubbish like the Japanese,” he added.
Also present at the press conference were State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, State Legislative Assembly speaker Datuk Amar Awang Asfia Awang Nassar, World Health Organisation ( WHO) Western Pacific Region regional director Dr Shin Youngsoo, WHO representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore head of mission Dr Lo Ying-Ru Jacqueline, Alliance for Healthy Cities steering committee chairperson Scarlett Pong, Alliance for Healthy Cities secretariat head Dr Keiko Nakamura and Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato James Chan Khay Syn.