PKN seeks assistance from GPS to carry out its activities

KUCHING: Penggerak Komuniti Negara ( PKN) Sarawak hopes to get support from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in its mission to assist and empower the needy and urban poor, said Nurhanim Mokshen.

The PKN Sarawak chairperson said PKN was set up with the welfare needs of the community at heart and to complement efforts by the authorities.

“PKN is not a new NGO (non-governmental organisation) and we have been active in carrying out our activities since 2019.

“PKN is a community-based

NGO and we welcome support from all including GPS with our focus on assisting and empowering the disadvantaged in our society,” she said in a statement yesterday.

She was responding to the recent statement of Assistant Minister for Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, that Sarawak was not bound by any federal policies relating to local government that fell under the State List of the Federal Constitution.

Nurhanim said PKN was established in line with the National Community Policy launched by former Federal Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamarudin.

She said they would pay a courtesy call on Penguang to give the assistant minister a clearer picture of the aspirations of PKN.

“We will seek an appointment with YB Penguang for a courtesy call and to better explain to him the aspirations of our NGO PKN,” she concluded.

On Saturday, Penguang said the Sarawak government had adhered to and would continue staying firm on its stand that local government was a state matter.

“We wish to point out that it had been, and always will remain the firm stand of the state government and state Ministry for Local Government and Housing, that, local government is a matter in the State List of the Federal Constitution.

“And any federal policies relating to local government does not bind the state of Sarawak,” he said in a statement following recent report on the establishment of 16 Parliamentary Committees under the purview of Sarawak Region PKN.