Councils urged to work together for a better Sibu

SIBU, Sept 6 (Bernama) – The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) and Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) should work together to develop Sibu into a better and greater place.

State Housing and Local Government Minister Prof Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said it is not the time for the councils to look back at Sibu’s past achievements but they should instead plan for the future of the people.

“There must be a plan to make Sibu greater and it should involve both the Sibu Municipal Council and Sibu Rural District Council.

“In doing so, take into consideration that the demographics have changed and the needs of the people have changed as well,” he said.

Dr Sim was speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of new SMC chairman Clarence Ting Ing Horh here today.

Sim said the councils should come up with people-centric policies that could solve their problems, not penalise them.

For instance, he said, the use of smart traffic lights or traffic wardens could help the people get home earlier from work.

He said if the traffic flows smoothly and the people could get home in as little as 30 minutes earlier, it could make a huge difference for them and their families.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Ting quashed the view that unlike Miri and Bintulu, Sibu was an old and uninteresting town which would wither away.

He said there were two common phrases among the Sibu people - traffic jams and parking problems, which Ting said showed that Sibu was a vibrant and growing town.

Ting who had served as Sibu Rural District Council as deputy chairman from 2004 to 2013, said the latest population figures in the Sibu municipality showed an increase from 200,000 to 280,000 people.

-- BERNAMA