New City Hall Building to ensure better services to the
people
 KOTA KINABALU, 9 June 2009: The new proposed City Hall
new headquarters can ensure better services to the people living in
the city area and enable DBKK to perform more efficiently and
effectively.
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Wanita Chief Melanie Chia said, the
new headquarters proposed to be sited at The Jesselton Point is
timely as it could offer better services when all department is
housed under one roof.
"A New City Hall Building will definitely uplift he image of Kota
Kinabalu as a city and the new building would enable more efficiency
and effective management in the provision of services for the
benefits of the people. We hope the delivery system can be further
improved with the better logistic."
"The construction of the new DBKK headquarters is Federal funded as
it is under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC). We are in need of
more Federal fundings to improve and upgrade our basic
infrastructure and services and improves the standard of living in
Sabah," she said.
In a statement, here, today, she also said that the tender process
must be carried out to ensure transparency and accountability as the
people should know how government funds are being spent.
Melanie who is also Luyang Assemblywoman said it is better if the
project is given out to local contractor as it could offer economic
spin off here.
She was commenting on Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim's announcement
recently that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had approved the
allocation for the project and that work on the building by Suria
Capital would begin this year. It would be ready in three years.
Melanie said the existing DBKK headquarters here is now split into
two premises one at the old building since the district office days
and the other at the Centre Point Shopping Complex.
She said it caused much inconveniences to the city folks as they
have to go from one place to another due to the siting of the
different departments between the two premises.
"Also the existing building is already old as it has been in
existence since the district office days. The building has housed
Kota Kinabalu District office, Kota Kinabalu Town Council, Kota
Kinabalu Municipal Council and now City Hall," she said.
Melanie said the new DBKK headquarters should also have
international standard convention hall to cater for international
events as well as double up as a venue for cultural shows including
concerts and orchestra performance.
"The physical development of the City should go hand in hand with
its cultural development. Perhaps the Mayor should get feedback from
the people and organisations in the city area on their aspirations
for the New City Hall. After all the City belongs to the people who
live in it and we are all responsible for its well being".
Melanie further stressed that Sabah is still in need of many other
physical developments, including an efficient public transport
system.
"We hope the current hiccups with the recent implementation of the
new public transport system will be over soon."
She said that she had received numerous complaints since 1 June when
the new system was implemented. The most complaints came from senior
citizen commuters. The complaints included schedules of the
different routes and the additional costs and human traffic flows in
the area.
She suggested that an overhead bridge be built linking the bus
terminal to the Wawasan Plaza Shopping Complex.
"We hope the Federal Government could allocate money to improve our
public transport system just as was allocated in the Peninsular.
This will definitely lessen the financial burden of our commuters
and make their life less stressful." |
