KUCHING: The new Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) office is a long-term plan to complement development plans, said Lo Khere Chiang.
The MPP chairman said the existing old MPP office does not have an auditorium, multi-purpose hall or gardens.
Hence, the building that will be built on a 20-acre site will be equipped with a natural detention pond and public facilities such as an auditorium, multi-purpose hall, library, rooftop garden, and walking or running tracks.
“As the area surrounding this new office flourish with commercial and housing developments in the years ahead, the building promises to provide a conducive avenue for the communities to meet, interact and use the facilities for the benefit of the communities,” he said.
Lo, who is also the Batu Kitang assemblyman, said this in a statement today (Feb 6). He was responding to Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s remarks.
Chong in a news report yesterday (Feb 5) said that it would be better to spend on improving infrastructure in areas under the council’s jurisdiction instead of constructing a new headquarters for MPP.
The opposition leader stressed that one of the most pressing issues faced by residents under MPP’s jurisdictions was flash floods and the financial allocation should instead be channelled towards improving the local drainage and irrigation system.
Lo said that Chong should encourage more development plans in Sarawak as the DAP, being in the unity government, should lobby for more development funds for Sarawak.
“Chong should lobby for more projects and funds from the federal DID to meet the challenges faced by Sarawak to mitigate flood-prone areas, particularly Stampin constituency where Chong is now the member of parliament,” he said.
He also said that flood mitigation is under the purview of the federal government and these major drainage studies and projects cost hundreds of millions to implement and funds should be provided by the federal government.
“The council takes care of secondary roads and drains which discharge into major drains after these major drains have been designed for and constructed by the federal government in collaboration with the Sarawak government,” he said.
